Roberta Metsola Tedesco Triccas a Nationalist candidate for the European Parliament elections, said today that she disagreed with the government on the imposition of VAT on vehicle registration tax.

Writing on her website, the candidate said:

"I feel that I do not have any personal or moral dilemma in stating that I do not agree with the Government’s position on the matter of the VAT charged on the registration tax on cars. Following the intervention of, and the commencement of procedures by the European Commission, the Maltese Government addressed the matter and changed the system to bring it into compliance. European law on the issue indicates that once corrective action is taken at any stage of the infringement process the proceedings are dropped so the Government is probably on safe ground, both legally and technically. However, politics is not about technicalities. It is about a service to the public that should stem from qualities and values, which remain consistent even when faced with difficult administrative management. "Let me explain my position clearly.

"The bone of contention with the car tax debate is the applicable date. The Government changed its position with effect from 1 January 2009 to bring itself in line with its EU obligations, but an elected government has obligations of a different nature to its people. Fairness is one such obligation. Having agreed to change the rules to come in line with our status as a EU member state, it is just not fair that this change comes into effect later than our accession. The spirit of the Government on this matter should be that we do not hide behind the technicality of the letter of the law in the applicable date, and put aside the spirit that should guide us. We became a EU member State on 1 May 2004, and as European citizens, we should start enjoying the benefits that were applicable Europe wide as from that date.

"One can understand that there are considerable financial and administrative problems to be faced by the Government in order to rise above the technicality of the matter, and settle the matter responsibly and fairly. However, I am sure that using the policy of dialogue that the Nationalist Party has successfully adopted and set as the standard over the years, the Government can, as a gesture of goodwill, accept to pay back the VAT received after Accession date, and then work out how best to implement it without excessively burdening public coffers in any one fiscal year. I am sure that faced with such a reasonable and magnanimous approach, all prospective beneficiaries of this gesture would be willing to discuss a mutually acceptable solution, even if it would not be an outright and immediate payment of the total sum to be repaid."

Her article is headed 'Give the money back'.

Her comments came as thousands of people queued outside Labour Party headquarters to join a court case for the reimbursement of VAT on registration tax. The campaign was launched after the European Commission said VAT should not have been charged on vehicle registration tax. The government insists is did not violate community rules. See http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090314/local/huge-queue-of-people-for-pl-court-case-against-vat

www.roberta2009.eu