Assistant Police Commissioner Antoine Casha was right to not pay registration tax on his personal car when he served in Brussels as part of the Maltese permanent representation, a tribunal ruled yesterday.
Dr Casha had originally taken the matter to the Ministry of Finance, Economy and Investment and argued that, as part of the Diplomatic Service, he should be exempt from paying the tax. His request was turned down because the ministry said although Dr Casha lived in Brussels, by law he was considered a permanent resident of Malta.
Dr Casha was first sent to Brussels in 2003 in the rank of police superintendent and returned to Malta where he was promoted to assistant commissioner in 2009.
Following the ministry’s decision he filed an appeal to the Administrative Review Tribunal, which said that Dr Casha did meet the legal requirements to qualify for the exemption and directed the ministry to allow this.
Lawyer Robert Abela appeared for Dr Casha.