Updated: Government defends record on EU funds - PL reacts
The government in a statement this evening denied opposition claims that it was not making full use of the EU funds allocated to Malta, pointing out that funds allocated for particular projects were only transferred to Malta once the projects were completed.
The government said that in terms of the current EU budget as well as from other funds which private companies and NGOs could access, Malta stood to receive more than €1 billion.
Malta was the first country to conclude the technical talks required for the allocation of EU funds for particular programmes and projects.
Most of the funds were earmarked for major infrastructural programmes which took some time to complete, including the building of arterial roads, the expansion of Kordin Incubation Centre, improvements to industrial estates, the building of facilities for the new ICT Faculty at the University, extensions of MCAST, the Junior College and the ETC’s Skills and Development Centre, development and embellishment of the coastal zones of Sliema and Qawra and restoration of fortifications.
The EU had confirmed that it would meet 85% of the investment costs for all such projects.
Funds would be received within two years of the conclusion of the projects.
The Labour Party in a reaction said the government had not contradicted any of the figures given by the Opposition.
The facts were that, according to the government's own projections, Malta was meant to receive €163 million from the EU in 2007 but only received €47 million, while Malta contributed €53 million to the EU.
For last year, the government had projected revenue of €114 from the EU but according to media reports, it only received €50 million. At the same time Malta contributed €56.6 million to EU coffers.
The government had not denied these figures. Indeed, its silence had confirmed them, the PL said.
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C Taliana
Feb 14th 2009, 19:25
@ Gianninu - what reduction in income tax are you talking about the one from 35% to 25%?
Clayton Bartolo
Feb 12th 2009, 23:51
@Gianninu
According to a goverment website, Malta's share from the EU budget 2007-2013 is that of €805M. Malta's contribution to the budget will be that of €312M and also €38M as part of the British rebate negotiated by Margaret Thatcher. Therefore, the net amount will be that of €455M. So can you tell us dear Gianninu where the €1B is?? I think Gonzi found it in the hole that was going to be dug in front of St. John's Co-cathedral.
And mentioning this hole, don't you think that those funds could be utilised in a better way? Malta is going through very harsh economic times, and the last thing the public needs is to see the government squander away millions in a big black hole. We already have one in the government's books, let's not make another one in the middle of our capital city. I wonder how JPO would have voted had the motion gone forward in discussion...
Once again, we see Gonzi's government backed up against the wall. This is the opposition at its best; putting the government to the sword. Keep up the good work because the country needs protection against this old wily government!!
S. Grech
Feb 12th 2009, 22:08
Dear PL,
How can we believe you, when before the referendum you spoke of income from EU of Lm1.3million only? When now with your figures alone, you are already showing Malta that back then you were lying.
Some things never change
m.farrugia
Feb 12th 2009, 21:13
Dear PL, before the EU referendum your 'no regrets' leader & all at MLP were saying that Malta will only receive Lm1 million from the EU. Now you are admitting that only 47 million and 50 million euros were allocated to Malta - still much better than what you predicted before the referendum.
How do you ever expect to be credible?
Joe Micallef
Feb 12th 2009, 20:26
@ Bredan Hili - that info is already public!!!!!!!!!!!!!! check the relevant gov website!
malcolm seychell
Feb 12th 2009, 20:19
@ Gianninu Saliba
The EU legislation already cost Malta 417 million Euro
Noel Barry
Feb 12th 2009, 20:17
According to the MLP or PL or Partit Socjalista, whatever they call themselves, Malta were only given ONE MILLION Malta Pounds. So now how come Joseph is mentioning all these millions.
Muscat.Pat
Feb 12th 2009, 20:16
If potholes are a yardstick of Gonzi's Government efficiency, then it is no wonder that we are short of our E.U money allotments. If the Government has not published the official money list, what other reason can there be if not to hide these shameful short- comings? These monies belong to us all, and the less we receive from the EU, the more we have to fork out Euros from our own pockets.
V Fenech
Feb 12th 2009, 20:06
Dear Gianninu, your comment makes me laugh! The results achieved so far are caused by the lack of competence, right?
So can't you realise that by the times the EU would give us 1 billion, we would have already given out to the EU much more than that?????!!
M. Catania
Feb 12th 2009, 20:00
Joseph Muscat-Until 5 years, weren't you a strong Eurosceptic as dictated by former leader Alfred Sant?Have you become a Europhile now?Dik zgur u-turn........................
Robert Callus
Feb 12th 2009, 19:54
Telling people that the financial crisis is not affecting them, even though they feel their purchasing power getting lower and jobs getting fewer doesn't really inspire confidence, does it
Joseph Brincat
Feb 12th 2009, 19:51
Are the 14 million euros earmarked for that big hole infront of St.John's Cathedral part of the 1 billion we will be getting??????
Gianninu Saliba
Feb 12th 2009, 19:34
Tell is dear Joseph, tell us. Will Malta be contributing more than €1 billion? As we say in Maltese "It-tigrija sal-barkun." Malta will receive in access of one billion euros before the next elections. Dear Joseph do you realize how many €200 there are in one billion euros? This is how the PN buys votes, dear Joseph... by attaining independence, by regaining democracy, by reducing Income Tax, by joining the EU, by converting to the Euro and by obtaining in excess one billion euros. Yes, dear Joseph, you heard right, more than one billion euros.
Nigel Lawrence
Feb 12th 2009, 18:50
improvements to industrial estates---
By the Gods I hope so, walking the San Gwann Ind. est. is a health threatening endevour
Brendan Hili
Feb 12th 2009, 18:16
If the Government wants to be perceived as transparent, it should publish the full list of projects which will be funded by the EU funds, how much the funding would be for each project, date project started and anticipated date of completion. Before all this is made public I will continue to believe Dr Muscat that we are not making full use of EU funds. It would also make sense to inform the general public how much the country is contributing to the EU each year. All this hush hush and knee-jerk reactions whenever they are criticised only make the general public even more suspicous that all is not as it is made up to be.