The two entities that took care of informing the public about the European Union – MIC and Forum Malta in Europe – cost the Exchequer some €7.8 million between 2000 and 2008, Foreign Minister George Vella informed Parliament yesterday.
Answering a question by Luciano Busuttil (PL), Dr Vella said Forum Malta was operating between 2005 and 2008. Until 2007, the forum cost Lm937,951 (about €2.2 million), and €669,081 in 2008.
That year, the Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee took over and between 2009 and 2012, €3.99 million were spent on it, while the expenditure for 2013 was €887,019.
Between 1999 and May 1, 2003, MIC was headed by now Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil who had been engaged as a full-time adviser without a public call for applications.
He had an annual salary of Lm17,500 (c.€40,764), including VAT, the use of a fully expensed car and 150 litres of fuel, and Lm350 (c.€815) for mobile telephone expenses.
After Dr Busuttil resigned, Carmel Attard was eventually appointed head on a salary of Lm7,652 (c. €17,824) a year, a monthly allowance of Lm50 (c. €116) and another Lm350 (c. €815) to cover mobile telephone expenses.