Former resources minister George Pullicino is obliged to address the issues raised in the National Audit Office report on Wasteserv’s procurement policies under his watch, the Labour Party has said.

The NAO report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday analysed five case studies of contracts amounting to €34.2 million.

The audit office found substantial variations between the waste operator’s estimates and contracted amounts.

Improvements to the Sant’Antnin plant cost €6 million more than projected, while the construction of a leisure area at the Marsascala Family Park cost 53 per cent more than estimated, requiring an additional investment of €600,000.

The NAO said that “discrepancies of this magnitude” were unacceptable.

Wasteserv’s failure to ensure robust project planning for the Sant’Antnin plant had conditioned the Department of Contract’s vetting process, “forcing its endorsement to avoid jeopardising the project’s funding and implementation”.

Referring to a statement by the Nationalist Party defending Wasteserv’s operations, Labour said: “This is more than enough for the former resources minister responsible for Wasteserv to speak up rather than hide behind excuses related to technology and technical aspects.”

Dr Pullicino refused to answer any further questions when contacted.