Boat registrations and marina fees

While registering a sailing boat at the Malta Maritime Authority, I was amazed by the difference in fees owed for boat registration by foreigners and Maltese citizens.

I had to register my boat which was formerly owned by a Maltese national. The administrative fees were Lm150. However, because I am Dutch, I had to pay an extra Lm100. This is an annual fee. Annual fees for registering a boat amount to Lm85 with a mark-up for foreigners of Lm50.

I must say that the boat's documents presented by MMA were spot on: all the previous owners could be back tracked by ID card numbers, addresses and so on.

When I was trying to find a berth at the Msida marina, an MMA employee said that there were outstanding berthing fees on the boat dating four years and if I wanted a berth at the marina I had to pay them.

As all owners are so correctly documented I asked the employee to collect the fees from the boat's previous owner. In disbelief I was told: "This is more easy for us".

Astonished, I left the marina office and let a Maltese friend handle the affair.

Is it legal to have different fees for foreigners from an EU member state who live in Malta? I sent two e-mails about this to the EU representative but I gave up as I did not receive a reply.

I live in Malta and pay taxes, just like any Maltese national. Having to pay different rates and footing the bills of a previous owner is outrageous.