The two main political parties each receive €100,000 a year from the public coffers, although there seems to be little accountability over how it is spent.
Between 2003 and 2008, the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party have shared €1.2 million. This year, a further €200,000 of public funds has been budgeted.
The money is allocated from the annual budget of the House of Representatives.
Questions sent to the Clerk of the House as to how the money is apportioned and whether receipts are demanded remained unanswered by the time of going to print. The response to The Sunday Times' initial queries was: "Why do you want to know?"
At a time when the PN and the PL are discussing behind closed doors legislation to regulate political party financing, few are aware that they have been receiving state funding for a number of years.
The amount may not be much compared to the expenses that the parties incur, but there is little accountability over how this money is being spent with the parliamentary whips confirming that no receipts are demanded.
Labour whip Joe Mizzi confirmed that he received a payment every month, which he then passed on to the party.
"I see that the party spends this money on research related to the EU but, believe me, the party spends much more than the allocation we are given. Research costs a lot, especially when one needs to consult experts or consultants," he said.
Mr Mizzi added that he was never asked to provide receipts to justify the expenses.
"Parliament has never asked for a breakdown of expenses and I have never asked the party for receipts. I have no difficulty asking for receipts and monitoring how the money is spent, but to do so Parliament has to provide me with adequate backup facilities. As things stand, I simply pass on the money to the party, where it is administered according to the established channels," Mr Mizzi said. It is not clear how much the party received last year.
PN whip David Agius confirmed that the party received €100,000 during 2008, and will receive the same amount in 2009.
Mr Agius did not specify whether the party was required to provide receipts, insisting that the "funds are operated according to the relative procedures and practices established by the House."
He explained that the money is used for research to help the PN parliamentary group develop its policies, particularly foreign and EU policy.
The funds are also used to help the party enhance its relations with sister parties in the EU and in neighbouring Mediterranean countries.
"This is felt to be even more important now that we are members of the EU," Mr Agius said.
The €200,000 is allocated under the recurrent expenditure of the House of Representatives. A single line in the budget estimates states that the funds are for "development of relations with the EU and the Mediterranean region by political groupings in parliament".
The funds were initially conceived during the pre-accession period to help the political parties conduct research on EU matters. After membership in 2004, the scope of the funds was broadened to also include the Mediterranean region.
ksansone@timesofmalta.com