More than three-fourths of the money forked out for advertising by the Ministry for Social Dialogue in the first half of this year was spent on promotion for the Malta EU presidency.

According to figures tabled in Parliament last week, entities that fell within the remit of the ministry spent €410,438 in advertising between January and June of this year.

The largest amounts – €119,899 and €144,471 – were spent in May and June, respectively.

Minister Helena Dalli told Parliament that the sums included adverts that had not yet been paid for, while €324,882 funded advertising that promoted Malta’s EU presidency.

A total of €50,244 was being covered by the European Union, she said in reply to a parliamentary question from Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi.

Between January and June 2017, the Energy Ministry, then headed by Konrad Mizzi, spent €319,902 on promotion.

Meanwhile, the entities within the remit of the Energy Ministry, which formerly fell under the stewardship of Konrad Mizzi within the Office of the Prime Minister, spent €319,902.

These included the Water Services Corporation, Arms Ltd, the Energy and Water Agency, the Regulator for Energy and Water Services, Enemed and the director for Corporate Services.

Nearly a third – or €98,215 – was spent in May by the director for Corporate Services, while €19,062 was spent during the same month by Enemed.

Energy and Water Management Minister Joe Mizzi said there had been no advertising expenditure by Engineering Resources Ltd and the Mediterranean Offshore Bunkering Company.

Such information about Enemalta had commercial value and its disclosure could prejudice the entity’s business, he said.

Figures tabled by Education Minister Evarist Bartolo show a total expenditure of more than €151,590 between January and June, with the highest amount (€40,745) spent in May.

Information about Enemalta could prejudice the entity’s business

Expenditure by departments and entities that fall under the Finance Ministry reached a total of €66,468.

Some ministries were also asked by PN MP Karol Aquilina for their expenditure on Facebook advertising between May 1 and June 3.

The Culture and Justice Ministry’s bill totalled €1,615, while the Environment Ministry spent €45 on promotion through the NisĠet Artna page and activities for Imnarja .

WasteServ spent €171 on the Magħtab Environment Complex Open Day promotion. The Health Ministry and the Department for Health Regulation, meanwhile, spent €82 for advertising on Facebook.

Figures tabled by the Gozo Ministry show a total of €1,250 spent on advertising on visit.gozo.com and Facebook bills settled in May for March and April.

Another expenditure reported to Parliament by Transport Minister Ian Borg was €529, spent by the Planning Authority.