Maltese diplomats were rapped by Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders for not paying traffic fines even if the Permanent Representation Office insists five pending penalties had been settled.

Mr Reynders named the Permanent Representation of Malta to the EU as one of the institutions guilty of dodging penalties.

However, in replies to questions by Times of Malta, the Permanent Representation of Malta to the EU explained that, when its attention had been drawn to five pending fines several weeks ago, the officers concerned were alerted and the fines were settled immediately.

“Malta currently has no pending fines,” a spokesman for the representation said.

The Belgian minister made the accusation when replying to a parliamentary question by Senator Martine Taelman who suggested the application of the same sanctions as in the US, where foreign diplomats lose their number plate after three cases of unpaid fines. Mr Reynders said he was willing to consider the idea.

At present, the Belgian Foreign Ministry sends the embassy or diplomat in question a reminder to pay the fine. Mr Reynders noted that diplomats in Brussels had collectively refused to pay 971 fines over the past three years.

The Permanent Representations of Greece, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia and Cyprus were cited alongside Malta as being guilty of not paying their dues.

Mr Reynders singled out the embassies of Saudi Arabia and India as being “bad payers” and the Permanent Representative of Turkey to Nato also took a lashing.

Most of the fines were related to traffic offences but some apparently involved more serious breaches of the law.

The building (left) in Brussels housing the Maltese Permanent Representation office.