The Nationalist Party is to ask the auditor general to investigate the millions of euros given to producers as part of a 40% cashback scheme for filming in Malta. 

Times of Malta reported on Tuesday official figures from the state aid website of the EU commission that shows Malta has green-lighted €143 million in taxpayers’ money to 54 films and television series in the past five years.

Among the films to benefit from the generous government scheme is Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator 2', which is to be given €47 million. 

In a statement on Wednesday, the PN said it was asking the auditor to investigate some €137 million that was given to foreign production houses. 

A request will be filed on Thursday by its three members within the Public Accounts Commission and its spokesperson for culture.

The party will ask the auditor general to investigate if the Malta Film Commission (MFC) followed any particular scrutiny and documentation policy for the issuing of such grants and if this procedure was in line with the principles of good governance.

It also wants to know what the MFC requires to approve payments from public funds, if a diligent exercise on the benefits the country was getting out of them has been carried out and if the Tourism Ministry scrutinised the rebates. 

The party said that the amounts were in stark contrast with the €14 million allocated to the MFC in this year's budget. 

It noted that the auditor general had already said in its report on public funds for 2020 that the commission was showing “extravagance in the use of public funds”.

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