“Technical problems” have prevented the government from rolling out a new EU food aid programme for Malta’s most deprived.

The last programme, under which bags of food were distributed to those in need, came to an end in February and Malta was granted €4 million by the EU to introduce another scheme lasting until 2020. That money is complemented by €600,000 from national resources.

But the new programme – described by the EU as an important source of provisions for organisations working in direct contact with the least fortunate people in society – has yet to be put into action.

A spokesman for the Social Solidarity Ministry admitted it had encountered technical problems as tender submissions and a call for partner organisations “did not fully meet the eligibility criteria when these were issued for the first time”.

However, a second round of calls has now been issued and “it is anticipated that the distribution of food items in Malta will commence in September/October 2015,” the spokesman said.

We don’t know what all this confusion is about

There has also been a mix-up over who was supposed to be in charge of the programme.

The spokesman said that at first they were told it would be administered by the President of Malta as part of “the new powers” she had been given.

When announcing the nomination of Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca as President, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had declared she would coordinate the administration of the EU food aid programme.

However, a spokesman for the President told this newspaper that this was not possible as “when this programme was delegated to this office, there was no proper structure in place to ensure this operation”.

Nationalist Party deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami recently asked a parliamentary question about the situation and was informed the programme now falls under the remit of the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity.

Until February, the Millennium Chapel was the main ‘NGO partner’ coordinating the programme on behalf of the government and distributing the aid through a network of parishes.

A spokesman for the chapel said they were in the dark over what was supposed to be happening.

“The government programme stopped in February last year. We have been told repeatedly by the government that a new programme will commence soon but nothing has happened yet. We don’t know what all this confusion is about,” he said.

However, the Millennium chapel continues to provide bags of food to the deprived every two weeks through its own resources and private donations.