Labour files VAT court case

alan cox

May 24th 2009, 10:24

@RGatt Mr.Gonzi´s pay rise to ministerers is totally different issue which should debated upon in it´s forum.in place and time Whether it is or wrong is seperate issue Which I agree should be debatted upon and questioned.But it still dosen´t address the fact that fact I ( and Many other Maltese)as a non car owner will still have to PAY some sort of imposed TAX to cove the fall out of the 50 m euros to car owners if J Muscat has his way.

RUDOLF DEGIORGIO

May 23rd 2009, 15:59

LAST YEAR, DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIN GONZIPN TOLD US THAT AT LAST THE "FINANZI JINSABU FIS-SOD" .......SO GIVE US BACK OUR MONEY.... OUR STOLEN MONEY TO BE MORE ACCURATE.......FOR THE INFORMATION OF ALL THE PN SPINNERS THIS COURT CASE IS GOING TO COST LESS THAN 800 EUROS.

MAY I SUGGEST THAT THE 50 MILLION EUROS NEEDED, MUST BE PAID PERSONALLY BY THOSE INVOLVED IN THE VAT DEPARTMENT SCANDAL......I THINK THAT IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT GONZIPN MUST EXPLAIN HOW MUCH MONEY WAS STOLEN FROM THE VAT WE HAVE PAID!!!!!! CAN SOMEONE SOMEWHERE STAND UP AND BE COUNTED IN THIS COUNTRY?

R Gatt

May 23rd 2009, 14:16

@alan cox ... and the funniest part is that it will be J.Muscat forking out the cash since he'll probably be in government in 4 years, and there is no way that the court case will be concluded b4 that time. One smells another "1996-1998" fiasco of non-sensacle taxes once he's in government and has to be accountable other then just ballooning from the opposition hot seat. It is also assumed that a PL government will reduce electricity/water bills since he doesn't stop mentioning it ... one wonders were all the cash is going to come from :s

J Spiteri

May 23rd 2009, 12:53

Alan Cox,
Please get updated with facts! Quoting you: "money has to come from somewhere" ... that is a pharase that Tonio Fenech tries to impress with. But at the same time maybe you are not aware that a couple of months ago, Lawrence Gonzi has given his ministers, parliamentary secretaries and himself a lavish pay rise of over 40%! Now that is when I start to worry that "money has to come from somewhere" as it is cosing us tax payers an extra €224,490 a year !!!!!!!!!!!
The money due to us normal citizens who paid this so called "illegal tax" which was not in fact due to the government, yes, must by right be returned to us! What is due is due, but what is not, please leave in our pockets!

Gonzi is only playing for time in this one!!!! Let him play his game, and we play ours!

M.Caruana

May 23rd 2009, 11:47

@Albert Gauci Cunningham

Finance you say is all that ticked you in favor of labour. Naive is my reply.

Finding candidates willing to represent you in parliament as opposition or government is no joke nowadays. People in politics know this very well. You will not find the right people willing to sacrifice their family and their life to politics and governance. (Unless you want to be represented with dumbskulls, we had a lot of those in the 70s/80s and we know the result).

If giving them a raise is all it takes to attract the right scholars and ideal people to steer the country to calmer waters and making Malta prosperous, then I fail to see your point. You have changed your affinity for all the wrong reasons. Had it been just for being gay, I would've thought the greens were more attractive.

I really would like to be there, when your new love is in power and hits your immaginery bubble so hard with their decisions. Who will you turn to, there is no perfect party? Its not like you dont have enough facts from different successive Labour leaders doing a mess after mess (Mintoff, KMB, Sant).

Christian Mifsud

May 23rd 2009, 11:20

Rest assured that the goverment will not have to increase taxes to refund the money he robbed. If he will then he is incompentent and really lost control. The goverment spent 70m euros before the election for him being re-elected instead of putting them in the maltese economy. So it won't be a problem for the goverment to give those 50m which are by right to those people. With some of your logic then no income tax refunds should be given for those who paid more than was due because they are being paid from other peoples taxes.

alan cox

May 23rd 2009, 09:49

Joseph Muscat, a good Pr coup. One problem that the rest of us Maltese who do not claim for VAT will have to pay for the rest of our lives!!!! for these 50 m euros or so. Because Mr. Muscat you like me and every body else know that the money has to come from somewhere.If Pn were smart they should let you in goverment and call your bluff.See what taxes will be raised to pay for all this VAT.

Albert Gauci Cunningham

May 23rd 2009, 00:56

Now if I had remained a fervent Nationalist as I was I'd agree with some of you here but thank the good old lords I'm not!!! I dont know how people still have the face to write their names in supporting a government which has let us down over and over again!! Mostly regarding the finance issue!! How on this blessed earth can I ever trust a party which is doing all it can in its power not to give this money because of what it calls financial problems when it had no qualms in giving 14,000 euros to each and every minister as a wage raise!!!

Gonzi is a liar and a cheat!! I said it in private and in public and will not hesitate to keep repeating it because I know I'm right!!! The times.com might not publish this last paragraph but make no mistake that as an ex-PN supporter I will not stop or rest until I see Gonzi getting the drabbing he deserves!!!

Anthony Magri

May 22nd 2009, 11:25

Is there any need to repeat that no the government will not impose any new taxes. It has only to recover the amounts of NI contributions and Income tax and even Vat that have not been paid to the government. Recovering the amounts due there will be more than enough to refund the VAT illegally imposed on cars.

Alfred Cassar

May 21st 2009, 23:01

In 4 years time, I, a PN supporter, will be refunded for my new car Registration Tax I paid in 2008, and you PL supporters (and even PN supporters) who did not buy a car during 2004 - 2008 will have to fork out the money that Joseph Muscat will have to give me and others who like me were comfortable enough in 2004-2008 to buy a new car. Viva l-Labour, viva l-labour, hej hej

Frank Muscat /expat

May 21st 2009, 20:32

I say 18,000 MORE votes for the Malta Labour Party. Well done Dr.Muscat. you got guts and thats what Malta needs. Go for it and take the opposition all the way to the cleaners. i'm 100% behind you, the people that differ are the once that did not claim, believe you me if they were owed any money from this ILLEGAL REG.TAX they would have a different opinion i am sure of that., but since they didn't claim its no skin off their nose.

Cikku Pace

May 21st 2009, 20:18

These are money had been robbed from people, they had paid VAT when they should not, this is a breach of the freedom of movement of goods.ARE WE IN THE EU OR NOT? we are in for everything, better or worse, so this money belong to the people.Finally well done Mr Louis Grech , you have done a good job, now you deserve to be elected again to keep fighting for costumers rights

Andrew Cassar

May 21st 2009, 20:08

@Joseph Sciberras

Dear Mr Sciberras,
if the government gives back the Euro 50 million people paid in VAT for their cars, it will return the same money that they actually paid and not YOUR money!

Last year the income tax department gave me back Euro 500 that I had over-paid, I just want to reassure you that it was the same money I had over paid, because I recognised the bank notes...and I am sure that there wasn't joseph sciberras written over them!!

Ch Degiorgio

May 21st 2009, 20:00

@M Catania
Why is it that people like you have to criticise everything MLP does by mentioning the past? Even if a person strongly believes in PN.....one should always encourage the opposition to criticise the goverment. It is very silly to stay mentioning all the (loads!) of mistakes MLP has made in the past....because, if it were so, we should give Gonzi a carte-blanche to do anything he wants.

If MLP complains government not going something according to EU regulations...."Mela you forgot that MLP were against EU?"
If MLP wants some change in VAT regulations..."Mela you forgot MLP were against VAT?"
If MLP complain about MEPA...."mela you forgot the planning mechanisms in the 1980s?".... etc etc

PN had criticised many aspects of Mintoff's 1970s reforms (and rightly so because they were in opposition), but when they came into government in the late 80s they kept many of these things (like welfare, free education, free health, stipends and even the notorious free church schools).

So when PN were right (eg EU, VAT) they deserve praise.....and not criticise them because they might have been wrong in the past. And when MLP talk some sense, they deserve praise as well!

Graham Crocker

May 21st 2009, 19:29

Joseph Sciberras, where do you think the money comes from? Trees? The pockets of the Members of Parliament?

Of course we are going to pay for other people, every single penny .
Now everybody who didn't buy a car will be taxed heavily to pay those who did buy cars, i.e. robbing Peter to pay Paul.

What the PN did was unfair granted, but the funny thing is, that by the time the case will be over it would be up to Dr.Muscat to pay back and tax us heavily; assuming he wins the general election, which I'm sure he will. I wonder how paying 50 Million back to the people will solve the deficit, but then again Dr.Muscat doesn't have foresight only hindsight.

Whats also funny is the people seem to think, they're getting the Nationalist money when there is no such thing. That 50 Million will come out of our pockets and not the Nationalists', because that money doesn't belong to them, it belongs to the country in the form of street lighting, treasury bills (national debt), education, medicare & public projects.

A. Mizzi

May 21st 2009, 18:52

Dr, Gonzi

This is what being an E.U member state citizen is all about - upholding consumer rights, equal rights for all citizens of the E.U. Member states.

Dr. Muscat is howing you the way forward and with all your preachings about the E.U., you just do not deliver and understand the concept of equal rights for all the E.U. member states.

Stop boasting about promised funds coming from the E.U. to sustain your election campaign, just deliver ( not words) and refund us with what is rightfully ours.

M.Caruana

May 21st 2009, 18:36

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT VOTE LABOUR FOR MEPS?

If you ever need a lawyer for a court case, would you choose a sceptic to defend your case ?
Notwithstanding the defensive attitude of a number of labour supports, we need MEPs to defend Malta's interest and not to squabble with the EU and its form. We need convinced EU people, who know the inroads and who have proper connections with those that want to make the EU something alive, something advantageous to Europe.
Would you trust a party filled with Eurosceptics to defend our interests in the EU when their purpose in life is more to discredit the EU's undertakings ? Eurosceptics are a very low % of the EU. Would you want a Labour MEP when 4 years down the road they fought tooth and nail against Malta's membership? They only want to be there because the population gave them a thrashing when they came up with Svizzera fil-Mediterran.
I end as I started - would you trust a someone to defend you in parliament when this someone is so sceptic of your case that the chances are that they'll make a mess out of it ? Vote with_your_mind_and_not_with_your_heart.

Luke Gatt

May 21st 2009, 18:35

lol you speak before you think about the consequence about this. If JM gives back 50 million back during his mandate he would be committing political suicide the deficit would rise sharply putting the government in an unstable position as it wouldn't be able to carry out certain projects important to Malta. Money does not grow on trees its your money Jm going to use to pay 50 million euros remember that the government works because we pay taxes.

laurence schembri

May 21st 2009, 18:01

@ jbusuttil
So simple, the money that the government has taken illegaly from VAT. The problem is that even the VAT Dept. is in stuck.

Braden Sammut

May 21st 2009, 17:38

Ejjew ghall-mument inhallu l-gudizzju dwar jekk il-PL ghandux ragun f'idejn il-poplu meta jmur jivvota, imma ejjew nirriflettu ftit fuq x'jista' jigri jekk il-PL fil-gvern jaghti lura l-flus tal-VAT anke jekk il-Qorti ma tiddeciedix hekk. F'dan il-kaz (dejjem jekk il-Qorti tiddeciedi kontra dak li qed jghid il-PL) Gvern Laburista kull ma jkun qed jaghmel jisraq fondi pubblici biex juzahom ghal skop partiggjan biex jirbah il-voti. Joseph Muscat ma jhambaqx li qed jizdied id-deficit?. Din il-proposta hi simili tat-tnaqqis tas-surcharge bin-nofs. IRRESPONSABBILTA grassa = l-istess bhat-22 xahar li ghamel l-ahhar Gvern Laburista meta dakinhar ma ninsewx, kien tilef il-Ministru tal-Finanzi u d-Deputat Mexxej (illum il-gurnata President ta' Malta).

Ma rridx ninftiehem hazin, jekk il-Qorti tiddeciedi li dawn in-nies ghandhom jiehdu flushom lura, allura l-Gvern ikun qed jonqos jekk ma jaghmilx dan, imma mhux torbot mazzra ma' saqajk u taghtihom xorta wahda anke jekk ma haqqhomx dawn in-nies.

Dr Emmy Bezzina,EU Candidate

May 21st 2009, 17:38

When it comes to the Political Game,the People,the Electorate,those who breathe in and deliver POWER to THEIR REPRESENTATIVES,BECOME GLARINGLY THE PROVERBIAL SECOND FIDDLE. It was a serious MISTAKE and a BIG INSULT TO THESE 18000 persons not to heed them,even though it might have been felt that THE PN would not play the PL GAME if THAT is WHAT IS: THE PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THAT THEY ARE BEING GIVEN HEED TO - THE GOVERNMENT WITH ALL THE RESOURCES BELONGING TO THE PEOPLE AT ITS DISPOSAL COULD HAVE ANSWERED TO EXPLAIN TO THE SOVEREIGN POWER,THE PEOPLE,WHY GOVERNMENT WAS RIGHT AND THE PL WAS WRONG:HENCE IT WAS POLITICALLY CORRECT THAT THE PL REACTED THE WAY IT DID,THOUGH THIS MEANT UNNECESSARY EXPENSES & FEES WHICH ULTIMATELY WILL HAVE TO BE BORNE BY THE ELECTORATE THEMSELVES.THESE POLITICAL GAMES MUST STOP - GIVE UNTO THE PEOPLE WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY THEIRS,AS THE POLITICIANS GIVE UNTO THEMSELVES WHAT MIGHT BE RIGHTFULLY NOT THEIRS:EG THEIR UNCALLED FOR ARROGANCE & PRIVILEGES FOR INSTANCE PLUS THEIR HIGH PENSIONS WHEN MANY ARE SURVIVING FROM HAND TO MOUTH,DAY IN,DAY OUT! LET THE PEOPLE SHOW THEIR METTLE IN THE FORTHCOMING EU PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ON JUNE 6TH & DAYS BEFORE!

Dr. David Pollina

May 21st 2009, 17:36

Someone had to file that case, and 'opportunisti' or not, the PL took up the challenge and is to be commended. NOW... how about going after the illegal registration tax in the first place, not just the illegal VAT on an illegal tax?

Under EU law, a country can not use a tax as a means of protectionism or to stifle free trade within the EU, and that is exactly what this tax is - it discriminates between a used vehicle bought from a dealer in Italy or the UK as opposed to Malta...

WHEN (not IF) this tax is declared illegal, the refund amount there will make the VAT component refund (estimated at €50 mil) PALE by comparison!

Anthony Magri

May 21st 2009, 17:30

Bloggers for the sake of criticising how to get back the illegal VAT paid for cars ask from where the government is to get the € 50 millions illegally charged VAT? Since it was taken illegally then it is that same amount in government coffers illegally that will be taken from.
Whoever takes a sum illegally from another person, never mind the time laps and the use that was made of it, that amount has to be repaid.
Some might say: but the government will impose taxes to repay the sum. Not necessarily. According to the government plans there are millions upon millions ready to be spent on such big plans as the entrance to Valletta, the development of the Opera site, a new parliament, Saint Elmo restoration, and so many other projects that cost millions if not billions.
So you see, money no problem, and it is not charity but reimbursement.
And to put all minds at rest: is not the Government (the people) not owned tens of millions as National Insurance contributions and even income tax dues. So put your mind at rest, the Government has enough money to dispose of without imposing any new taxes.

Patrick Cilia

May 21st 2009, 17:30

Albert Gauci Cunningham and others like him need to understand that there is a judicial process in the European Courts on this subject and it would be wiser to see what comes out of that first, before shooting from the hip! I, for one, would welcome the refund, no doubt about it (who would not like a refund!?) - the Pl seems to be going off a tangent and using EU legislation where and when it thinks it appropriate without consistency...we have benefitted from many things in the EU including funding social and environmental projects and even education, but then a sinking man will always try and clutch at straws I suppose!!!! The three wise men who have just come to the end of their term in the EP for the PES-PL faction must search their conscience to see what THEY have really achieved!!!

Braden Sammut

May 21st 2009, 17:22

Ejjew ghall-mument inhallu l-gudizzju dwar jekk il-PL ghandux ragun f'idejn il-poplu meta jmur jivvota, imma ejjew nirriflettu ftit fuq x'jista' jigri jekk il-PL fil-gvern jaghti lura l-flus tal-VAT anke jekk il-Qorti ma tiddeciedix hekk. F'dan il-kaz (dejjem jekk il-Qorti tiddeciedi kontra dak li qed jghid il-PL) Gvern Laburista kull ma jkun qed jaghmel jisraq fondi pubblici biex juzahom ghal skop partiggjan biex jirbah il-voti. Joseph Muscat ma jhambaqx li qed jizdied id-deficit?. Din il-proposta hi simili tat-tnaqqis tas-surcharge bin-nofs. IRRESPONSABBILTA grassa = l-istess bhat-22 xahar li ghamel l-ahhar Gvern Laburista meta dakinhar ma ninsewx, kien tilef il-Ministru tal-Finanzi u d-Deputat Mexxej (illum il-gurnata President ta' Malta).

Ma rridx ninftiehem hazin, jekk il-Qorti tiddeciedi li dawn in-nies ghandhom jiehdu flushom lura, allura l-Gvern ikun qed jonqos jekk ma jaghmilx dan, imma mhux torbot mazzra ma' saqajk u taghtihom xorta wahda anke jekk ma haqqhomx dawn in-nies.

A.Gauci Cunnigham

May 21st 2009, 16:57

@Joseph Sciberras---Iva??? Do you have a good job and a handsome income? Because if you do and you're one of those who got childrens allowance I do not want my taxes to be used that way either!! Or maybe you just won a contract through a smelly and fishy process??!! Well my taxes had better not be used for those purposes!! Taxes are not spent according to people's fancy, they should be spent fairly and transparently and they should never go against the spirit of a free market!!!!!!!!

You dont just wake up one morning and ring some alarm bells about taxes when your Party has been squandering our taxes left, right and centre and governing malta as if it was an accounting agency!!! Joseph Muscat will give money that is due to those who are justly due to it and if you dont like it go-ahead and vote PN as you've probably always done!!!!

Rowina Buhagiar

May 21st 2009, 16:22

Thank you Joseph Muscat u Louis Grech. Ghandna bzonn nies bhalkhom!!!!

F Spiteri

May 21st 2009, 16:18

M Catania:
The more I read comments like yours, the more I get convinced that PN are still living in the past. Could you update your calender to 21st May 2009 please???? Does the present situation hurt you so much that you'd rather continue thinking in the past tense?? I don't care anything about the past as I am only living now and I only care about my future! I don't know your age and I don't want to know it, but BOTH parties have their history. We, as citizens, don't care about PAST!!!!! Maybe you should take some "progressive" & "moderate" hints to understand the meaning of moving on!!!
Everything that is alive changes ... so it PL. Maybe you could email Gonzi to take same measueres and change as we're seeing 4 years too long now to finally see a change ... thanks to Dr. Muscat of course ... I mean Joseph as we really like calling him Joseph as he is REALLY one of us!! Thank you Joseph!!

Albert Gauci Cunningham

May 21st 2009, 16:03

@all those who persist in believing this government; "where will we get the money?" I hear you say.....easy!!! From the 4.5 million euros that Gonzi gave on a silver platter through the stroke of a pen before the last election to some security group, from the thousands of Liri that were misspent at Gatt's ministry in overtime and work which was never actually done, from the 14,000 euros yearly pay increase Gonzi had the gall to give each of his lame duck ministers, from the 2.3 million euros that were spent over and above the budget on the manwel Dimech br., from the thousands of euros wasted at Enemalta, from the millions he planned to spend on digging a huge hole in front of our Co-Cathedral and last but not least from the millions that were defrauded from our own VAT for years by some fatcat, shameless individuals!!!

There, I'm sure that covers not only the 50 million but much much more!!!!!!!!!!

Prosit Joseph the people who call a spade a spade are definitely behind you on this one!!

GiovDeMartino

May 21st 2009, 16:00

Hela ta' hin! Erba'snin ohra Joseph ikun Prim u xorta se jaghti lura l-VAT l;i seraq Gonzipn. Allura ghalfejn il-kawza li zgur tkun ghadha ma nqatghetx?

Joseph Sciberras

May 21st 2009, 15:46

I did not buy a car between 2004 and 2008 and thus I am not interested in the outcome of this case. However I would like the PL to assure me and people like me who did not buy a car that our taxes will not be used to pay back the €50 million that he is would pay back to car owners.

Lorry Bugeja

May 21st 2009, 15:35

Well done to all especially for the work done by Louis Grech. Another feather in your cap Mr Grech.

DUSTY WILLIAMS

May 21st 2009, 15:32

M CATANIA

GHALL-INQAS 15 QABEL L'ELEZZJONIJIET HIJA XI HAGA BIS-SENS MHUX BHAL XI HADD LI SER JAGHTINA 5 BOZOZ GIMGHA QABEL BISS.

MELA XI HAGA BHALL DIK MHUX PROCESS TWIL TRID TIEHU JEW. HSIBT LI TAL LABOUR JAGHMLU KOLLOX BL'ADDOCC BHALKOM TAL PN JEW. ILLUM TGHIDU HAGA U L-GHADA TINSEW DAK LI TKUNU GHADTU, BASTA TWIEGHDU U TIDHRU SBIEH GHALL-MUMENT.

FTAKAR LI MA DAWK IN-NIES HENN NAZZJONALISTI BHALEK, ALLURA IRRISPETTA.

Tom Gerard

May 21st 2009, 15:29

Congratualtions to Joseph. However we must also give most of credit to Louis Grech and the lawers involved who initiated this action in 2007. Well done Mr Grech!

DUSTY WILLIAMS

May 21st 2009, 15:27

CONRAD VELLA

MILL-FINANZI FIS SOD HUX MINFEJN TRIDU JGIBOM. MINFLOK JONFOQ ILBELLI LIRI BIEX JIRBAH L'ELEZZJONI, JAGHTI DAK LI HUWA TAGHHOM LURA. DAK LI L'PN SERQILHOM.

IZDA DONNOK INT IZJED MOHHOK BIEX DAN MA JSEHHX, GHAX OVVJAMENT INT BHALOM, MA TIGHALLEM QATT.

HEKK TAHSEB LI L-KBIR, MAHBUB JM MA JAFX IMEXXI? IZ-ZMIEN JAGHTINA PARIR SIEHBI, AGHAR MINN TAL-LUM MA JISTAX IKUN. (DAHK BISS) FIL VOJT.

M. Catania

May 21st 2009, 15:15

@ F Spiteri

EU norms?? What??!! I though call me Joseph was staunchly anti-EU as he blindly followed his mentor. Is he a man of principles?Definetly not!! Excuse me even when introducing anti popular measures such as VAT, the MLP always took the populist stance and did not have the courage to back up such proposals. Oh, I am sorry I forgot that the MLP had introduced CET!!!!

E. Farrugia

May 21st 2009, 15:00

MONEY ? NO PROBLEM ? HALLUHOM JIZDIEDU L-PREZZIJIET ?

Stephen Bartolo

May 21st 2009, 14:57

These 18,000 persons need to keep in mind that all the incredible work behind the case were done by Labour Leader Dr Joseph Muscat and Labour head of Delegation in the European Parliament Louis Grech, whom had worked constantly together on the matter for the last 3 years,As a person among this myraid number, my vote is guaranted to Mr Louis Grech which had done his job with flying colours and more are to follow.

daniel farrugia

May 21st 2009, 14:57

if something was illegal why not take the government to court???? you will see one day that PL is right on the issue. and no the money will not come from the people saying prosit joseph but from those which are happy with paying the XOKK of electricity and water bills and go and clap to gonzi pn for saying that this was necesary!! why are the prices so high because the people you voted for did not manage enemalta correctly and loaded it with debits!! so please try to think before writing!!
one more thing if the court proves PL right, who would pay for stealing the money for those years??? JUSTICE PLS

F Spiteri

May 21st 2009, 14:51

@M Catania:
"He recalled that the PL had first filed a judicial protest, to which the government had not replied."
So, the so called "opportunist" from your behalf is a true gentleman who gives a chance in other people's life and not take political advantage of each and every opportunity. Yet still
the judicial protest presented did not elicit any change, so, dr Muscat had no alternative but to move on.
It is Gonzi & PN who are acting as "opportunisti" as they are taking this situation as an opportunity to have more time to continue procrastinating in introducing EU norms which should benefit the general public.

Get the point M Catania? Are you still blindly voting PN?????? PossiblI??????

Keep it up Dr. Muscat!!

Andrew Gatt

May 21st 2009, 14:44

Apart from this issue, what really gets me is the way the VAT Department jumps down your throat for every late return and for every possible excuse, charging interest rates that are usuriously exorbitant, and tying up your business in reams of red tape, mistakes and bureaucracy.

Meanwhile, it sems that, in the back rooms of the same VAT Department, a scam of apparently EPIC PROPORTIONS has been going on for years, costing the country only God knows how much.

I await the Police investigation conclusions with bated breath..................

jbusuttil

May 21st 2009, 14:36

The most important question is from where is the money coming from? All of you who are shouting prosi Joseph , viva l-labour, vote PL etc. at least tell me from were is this money coming? I have no refund to collect I hope not from my pocket.

Galea. L

May 21st 2009, 14:32

M. Catania
hemm iz-zmien li jrid jinghata ghall-process gudizzjarju Catania.

Phil.Farrugia

May 21st 2009, 14:21

I can just see 18,000 less votes for th PL and thats a huge let down i say. Well done Mr.Muscat you know it make sence.

Colin Camilleri

May 21st 2009, 14:09

To those PN supporters and voters who queued in front of the PL headquarters to get their illegal tax back, may I say one thing? The GonziPN government will only remember you once every 5 years. Other than that you do not even deserve a reply by the person whom you have elected.
So much worth are you to our government!!! and this is taking place after charging you an illegal tax. So keep these incidents in mind and use your vote wisely next time round. Since the entire country is suffering through this government's actions.

R Mallia

May 21st 2009, 14:07

@ D Ellul. what is it exactly that Labour delivered? Did anybody get a refund? This move is simply ridiculous and only meant to attact attention and votes.

E. Farrugia

May 21st 2009, 14:01

Well done Joseph Muscat, in my book when somebody puts his money where his mouth is, he is more convincing than a multitude of rhetoric. This should get the PL some more votes.

M. Catania

May 21st 2009, 13:59

KUMBINAZZJONI hmistax qabel l-elezzjonijiet. Kien hemm ghalfejn tistenna xahrejn biex tiftah kawza il-qorti?? Lanqas int opportunist GUZ!!!

conrad vella

May 21st 2009, 13:44

Just one question dr muscat, if once elected, labour is to refund the vat paid to over 18,000 consumers, a bill of over €50,000,000, from where will the money come if not from higher taxes or cuts made in govt spending? Sounds very much like a pre election promise from an armchair critic who has no idea on how to manage a party let alone a country

By the way hopefully the labour case was instituted correctly and not with the constant and blatant mistakes that their mep's have got us used to!!!!

S. Camilleri

May 21st 2009, 13:43

Unfortunately could not make it past the queues to register in March. However thanks nonetheless to Dr. Muscat

Jeff Rogers

May 21st 2009, 13:41

As a Britain and a Guest who chooce Malta as my reitrement home, and was effected tremendously by this second registration tax although politically i remain neutral , i would like to Thank Mr.Muscat for his great effort and hard work for the people of Malta and also all the guests who had the misfortune to dish out a huge amount of vehicle tax to the Malta VAT dept.

guido farrugia

May 21st 2009, 13:38

jekk il genna li semmiet Ms. O;casey hemm twistees biss jien m'inhix ghal hemm. Refunds we want which will prove Dr. Muscat and MEP Louis Grech right. Halik mil genna ta' l'art li hlomt biha

D Ellul

May 21st 2009, 13:17

Labour delivers. On June 6, vote for all the Labour MEP candidates.

Graziella Scerri

May 21st 2009, 13:12

Thanks Joseph Muscat.

Defeding our rights!

Bertie O'Cassey

May 21st 2009, 12:58

AND TWISTEES ARE GOING TO LIBYA, ARA BIEX IRRIDU NAGHMLU NEWS MALTA IMBADD JGHIDU LI MA NGHIXUX F'GENNA TA L-ART.

MUR ORQOD GUZEPP GHAX TAQTA FIGURA AHJAR!!!!!

guido farrugia

May 21st 2009, 12:56

Well done Dr. Muscat. Keep proving yourself right which is realy worring your adversaries.

J Spiteri

May 21st 2009, 12:48

"The Prime Minister ignored the 18,000 people and chose not to reply"

Now THIS is what I call scandalous, dear Prime Minister. In front of 18,000 families demaning their money back which you took out of our pockets, unfairly, you remain without a reply. May God be with you Dr. Muscat to continue your hard work, which as you say, even if it is for just one person!!! We are behind you!
And May God grant me enough health to see you ruling Malta as our Prime Minister!! That would be the real new season for Malta and that would be a fresh new chapter which we all need.