A Maltese woman who paid for her sister to visit her in Germany for three weeks at Christmas was disappointed to learn her sibling’s social benefits will be axed for that period.

Gertrude Catania, 36, lives in Germany with her husband and four children. Her sister Francesca, 19, is a single mother of two sons: one aged four and another aged one year and three months.

Being unemployed, Francesca receives social assistance.

“As a Christmas present, I thought it would be a lovely idea to bring Francesca and her sons over to my house in Germany for a holiday between December 17 and January 5. I paid €480 for the tickets.”

She said that when Francesca applied for leave to go abroad at the social services office in Birkirkara, she was informed that the benefits were going to be stopped for those three weeks.

“It’s really unfair – this leaves my sister in uncertain waters, financially speaking, upon her return to Malta. They also told her that she would need to undergo a means test, to ensure she is still eligible for social benefits.

“Our mother died four years ago and our father left us when we were very little. My sister and her two sons were going to spend Christmas alone. I only wanted to make their Christmas one to remember,” said Ms Catania.

She contacted the Social Policy Information Centre, who informed her that Francesca was not eligible to receive social benefits while abroad.

The law states that social assistance will not be extinguished if the person proves that they will be going abroad due to medical reasons.

Since this is not the reason for her visit, Francesca will not be entitled to continue receiving benefits for that period.

“I was then told by the staff at Birkirkara that Francesca would need to contact the social services department in Germany to apply for benefits from there.

“I am prepared to take the case to European Court of Human Rights because I think it is highly unfair.”

Questions sent to the Social Solidarity Ministry were unanswered by the time of writing.