The Labour Party said today that a week after Mepa issued illegal bills for printing services, no one had assumed political responsibility.

In a statement, the party recalled that last week, Mepa issued bills for printing services to several of its clients. The bills were withdrawn after the PL held a press conference. At the time the Authority had said this was an administrative error. 

The PL said it was worrying that the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco had not commented on this matter.

It claimed that both Dr Gonzi and Dr de Marco had known that Mepa would issue the bills , because they were mentioned in June when the Mepa estimates were debated in Parliament. The PL, at the time, had complained that the bills would further raise the already hig tariffs.

These bills, the PL said, had been introduced to make up for some of the financial losses which Mepa has been suffering in the past two years. 

Political responsibility dictated that the government should have acted before the 3,500 bills were issued, the PL insisted. 

In a reaction, Mepa said the decision to withdraw the bills was taken before the PL press conference, and PL spokesman Roderick Galdes was informed of the decision before he held his conference.

The bills were withdrawn within 24 hours of being issued because they had not been approved by the CEO or the chairman, the Authority said.