Former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s official car, a BMW 7 Series, cost nearly €60,000 in repairs and replacement cars, Times of Malta has learnt.
It ended up costing the State a total of €120,371 – excluding fuel
The five-metre black saloon was bought in November 2003 (one year before Dr Gonzi became Prime Minister) for €62,254.
However, it accumulated so many bills over the years that it doubled its price tag, ending up costing the State a total of €120,371 – excluding fuel costs.
Between 2007 and 2012, the Government spent €36,335 on repairs and €21,782 on renting out replacement cars while the BMW was being repaired, a total of €58,117.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was recently criticised for keeping his private car, an Alfa 159, for official use and claiming an annual allowance for it of €7,000 – as he did as Opposition leader.
Meanwhile, the former Prime Minister’s official car remains garaged because it is considered too costly to use.
The serious problems with Dr Gonzi’s car seem to have started in 2008, according to the Government’s records.
In 2010 alone, the Government spent €12,958 on repairs. During the same year, a replacement car had to be sourced nine times, costing a total of €6,806.
Muscat Motors benefited most from the car’s woes, billing the Government €22,654 for Dr Gonzi’s car between 2007 and 2012.
Meanwhile, the companies that benefited most from the rentals were Meli Car Rentals and En Route Malta.
Dr Muscat is the first Prime Minister to keep his own private car for official duties.
During the previous PN administrations, both former prime ministers Eddie Fenech Adami and Dr Gonzi were not paid any car allowance as they used the official car provided by the Office of the Prime Minister.
On the other hand, former Prime Minister Alfred Sant used to drive himself around in an official car provided by the Government.
Cars have featured several times in the first weeks of the new administration.
At first, there were not enough cars to go around for the large number of ministers and parliamentary secretaries so vehicles had to be leased temporarily.
Transport Minister Joe Mizzi recently said there were a number of “unaccounted for” cars which were used by ministries and departments under the previous administration.
Times of Malta this week reported that the Labour Government’s Law Commissioner, ex-Nationalist MP Franco Debono, was supplied with a chauffeur-driven car: a Volkswagen Passat, which was once used by former parliamentary secretary Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici.
Dr Debono caused Dr Mifsud Bonnici’s resignation as Home Affairs Minister when he voted against him in Parliament last year.