A magistrate yesterday slated the transport authority for acting “arrogantly” when, as a government department, it was meant to be efficient and reduce stress and financial costs to a minimum.

Magistrate Silvio Meli made the comments in a judgment in which he ordered Transport Malta and the transport and finance ministers to immediately pay €4,400 to a driver who had paid excess VAT on her new BMW in 2009.

The driver, Fleur Balzan, who also happens to be the presenter of a motoring TV programme, filed the claim after she was told by the authority it was reserving the right to make the refund as and when it pleased.

Magistrate Meli said that although it had accepted to refund the amount, the transport regulator refused to refund any interest on the amount owed, which legitimately belonged to Ms Balzan.

The magistrate said the authority, which had acted with “unacceptable arrogance”, had the obligation, like every other public entity, to not only be efficient but to act in good faith when dealing with citizens to ease stress and keep financial costs to a minimum.

He ordered the authority to pay all legal costs and to make the refund immediately.

This judgment follows a harsh report by the Ombudsman, Chief Justice Emeritus Joseph Said Pullicino, who heavily criticised the authority for the way it treated another citizen. He described the authority as inefficient, incompetent and arrogant.