The government owed a total of €17.40 million to 74 importers of medicine at the end of last month, Social Policy Minister John Dalli has said in Parliament.
He added that by the end of the year the government would pay about €11 million. This meant that the government would be utilising credit of between 120 and 150 days, rather than the agreed 150.
€5.8m still owing on Mater Dei
The minister also said in reply to another question that pending payments for works carried out at Mater Dei Hospital amount to €5,839,077.