Almost €1.2 million were spent on 34 private jet trips to ferry Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his delegation on official trips abroad.
Each trip cost an average of €35,000 with the EU refunding 80 per cent of any travel costs connected to EU summits and related events. This means the State pays an average €7,000 per trip for the plane that can take up to nine people.
Details on the number of trips made by private jet were given by the Prime Minister in Parliament earlier this week in response to a question by Nationalist Party whip David Agius.
He said he had used a private plane on 34 occasions since he was elected to office in March 2013. He said 27 of the 34 trips were related to EU Council and urgent EU Council summit meetings. The rest consisted of a meeting for EU heads of state and of government on Turkey, the Asia-Europe summit and official business in the UK and Italy.
Private aircraft operated by Euro Jet and Vista Jet were used.
This allows the delegation, often with another minister or permanent secretary and other staff, to travel in and out in the shortest possible time, generally reducing accommodation costs. It is a cost-effective method
When asked about the cost of the trips, a spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office told the Times of Malta that the system practised under previous administrations had been followed.
“One has to factor in the fact that this facility allows the delegation, which often includes another minister or a permanent secretary and other staff, to travel in and out in the shortest possible time, generally reducing accommodation costs. It is a cost-effective method,” the spokesman said.
The use of private jets for official visits abroad cropped up on a number of occasions under the previous administration.
In April 2004, for example, the Labour Party in Opposition asked former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi for details on the use of a private jet for an EU summit. On that occasion, Dr Gonzi told then Labour MP Joseph Cuschieri in Parliament that the trip had cost €31,500.