How to live large off 'the EU'
I suppose this kind of spending doesn’t bother our Joseph Muscat, because The Taxpayer footing the bill is a barrani. I guess he and his haven’t figured out yet that EU taxpayers include the Maltese electorate, which is now Louis, Edward and John get to be there in the first place.
The Sunday Times, 28th November 2010
Labour MEPs cost €1.2m
Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
The three Labour MEPs cost EU taxpayers more than €1.2 million during the first year of the current EP legislature, according to financial transparency declarations posted on their websites.
The declarations show that while Louis Grech is the most transparent of the three, providing a range of details including the names of his employees, John Attard Montalto claims he is the most present in terms of days spent on official EU business – even though this includes travelling around the world as part of EP delegations.
On the other hand, Edward Scicluna failed to divulge the names of the 12 ‘short assignment’ contracts he awarded to various individuals during his first year as an MEP and did not provide details of two ‘service contracts’ for the running of his offices.
The MEPs’ financial declarations were published a few months after those of their two Nationalist colleagues, Simon Busuttil and David Casa.
However, Labour’s declarations cover the first full year of activity whereas the PN MEPs provided details of the period from the beginning of their term in July 2009 to the end of December.
Mr Grech’s declarations were easily identifiable on his website, and he also provided details such as the names of employees as well as his paying agent.
During the first year of the legislature, he engaged three full-time employees in Brussels (two foreigners) and seven at his Malta office, four on a part-time basis. He also declared receipt of a subsistence allowance for 136.5 parliamentary days spent either in Brussels or in Strasbourg and a travel and disturbance allowance of €30,832.
Overall, Mr Grech was also the least expensive Labour MEP, costing EU taxpayers €310,933.
Dr Attard Montalto’s declarations show he attended the highest number of EP missions around the world, so much so that his travel expenses amounted to €77,308, more than double Mr Grech’s. The flamboyant MEP’s declaration, which also shows he was the most expensive parliamentarian, lacks certain details, including the names of his six employees, one in Brussels (foreign) and five in Malta.
Prof. Scicluna – whose declaration is in a section of his website dedicated to hundreds of documents in his media archives – declares a total expense of €316,827 in his first year as an MEP, but he fails to divulge the names of 12 contracted individuals on ‘short term assignments.’
On the other hand, he lists the names of his staff, including three in Brussels, (his main assistant being British), and four officials in Malta, two of them on a part-time basis.
Prof. Scicluna also declares a subsistence allowance of €38,144 for 128 days spent on official EP business, the lowest among his colleagues.
The three Labour MEPs’ total cost is over €1.2 million, which is more than the money spent on the entire Maltese Cabinet. The annual salary of MEPs currently stands at €84,000 but is expected to rise in 2011.
19 Comments Comment
Leave a Comment
Ahleb Guz!
Do you remember Mintoff’s expression ‘Ahleb Guz’. This is exactly what this lot specialises in. This is their policy ‘ahtaf la hemm ic-cans’. However they are not all yet convinced that the EU membership was the right thing for Malta.
It surely was the right thing for THEM, though.
Tsk, tsk …… The Politics of Envy?
… and John Dalli described his term of office as EU Commissioner as a four-year sentence.
Well, if he didn’t want it, he shouldn’t have taken it. He had his shot at becoming leader of the Nationalist Party but he cannot get over it.
In Maltatoday he was quoted as saying that he will be back in politics, that he still follows the scene in Malta despite being in Brussels and he also keep an ear to the ground to constantly get the feel of public opinion. Thank you, Johnny.
He concluded by saying that he does not want his post in Brussels to be the end of his political career.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101128/local/dalli-speaks-of-brussels-term-as-four-year-sentence
And with Bastjan and Gorg, the trio would make an ideal Three Wise Men on the Kappara roundabout.
Tghid anke lilu mar ihabbatlu l-iScarlet Pimpernel bil-barnuza fuq il-bieb tac-cella – errr, tal-Ufficcju tal-Kummissarju Ewropew fi Brussels?
In that case, I plead guilty, M’Lud, and I ask for a life sentence.
Dawn kollha kontra No2EU Sharon.
Sustantially more than the Central Bank’s governor’s one year salary.
1.2 million for 3 MEPs = 400,000 per, while the CB governor earns 160,000 euro.
Kulhadd ihobba c-cejca. Tal-Lejber xejn anqas. Faccoli w bla zejt f’wicchom.
A silly comparison – you have to compare like with like.
Those 160,000 euro are just for one person.
The (average of) 400,000 has to cover the expense of running an office, work related travel, etc.
The annual salary of MEPs currently stands at €84,000 but is expected to rise in 2011……… JoePL is losing out
While the Georgian delegation to the NATO summit in Lisbon was having fun with 80 prostitutes, what was going on at the Labour media?
Ahem – http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101129/local/karmenu-mifsud-bonnici-presents-gaddafi-prize-in-tripoli
making hay while the sun shines?
No Comment
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101129/local/karmenu-mifsud-bonnici-presents-gaddafi-prize-in-tripoli
Oh, these must be the one million euros that Alfred Sant believed we would get from the European Union.
Now, if Manwel Cuschieri’s brother joins the gravy train, the figure will skyrocket further.
Issa meta jidhol Joseph Cuschieri nahseb mhux se jdum bhala rapprezentant tal Malta ghax mill-ewwel jindunaw bl-intelligenza tieghu u jlahquh xi delegat permanenti bhal ma lahqu lil huh fil-partit tal-Labour wara it-terremod ta’ Dr. Joseph Muscat. U kieku kien serju Joseph lil dan ippromwova biex johodlu postu!
U jekk minix sejjer zball “the flamboyant MEP” fil-bidu ried jirrizenja ghax ma kienx ilahhaq bl-ispejjez.
U hallina, Gann. Ghax ma tghidux x’rikba qed tiehdu minn fuq il-polpu Malti.