Comments on: Muscat’s government plans to spend €40 million on six months of the EU presidency

By: Antoine Vella

Antoine Vella — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 22:09:00 +0000

If the costs for the presidency are allowed to be a kind of special expenditure item that does not affect the government’s deficit, I am sure they will include all sorts of unrelated expenses, describing them fraudulently as “sundry expenses in relation to the presidency”.

It’s an effective way to hide over-spending in other sectors. I get the impression Minister Scicluna is very good at this sort of thing.

By: pete ross

pete ross — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 21:05:00 +0000

Why do 2500 journalists need to come here? Is this number a government invention? I don’t believe anything this government and its propagandists say and that’s because I do respect myself and my intelligence.

By: Richelieu

Richelieu — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 19:37:00 +0000

I am inclined to think that this is a mirror image of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting overspend. More money for the ‘lecca culi’, for supporting ‘actors’, for ‘you scratch my back and I will scratch yours’ companies and associated support, and all towards enhancing the image of the corrupt administration of this fair land.

The Maltese government is steeped in corruption and though the European Commission might consider it an internal matter, it is aiding and abetting the corruption with its silence.

By: Benny Hill

Benny Hill — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 19:31:00 +0000

You must be joking. Do you really think Malta would be better off outside the European Union?

Around 46% of the Maltese population voted to NOT join the EU in 2003. Would you say that those 46% constituted the more intelligent portion of Maltese voters?

Or has the EU changed so much for the worse since 2003 that it no longer makes sense to be a member, according to you?

By: A Caffari

A Caffari — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 19:29:00 +0000

In reply to Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Fair enough, but I’ll have you know that in other places I have lived, fuel price increases were often announced ahead of time (sometimes up to a week in advance) and there were no negative impacts whatsoever.

Nobody can stockpile beyond their storage capacity and no service station ever wants to turn away clients just so they can make an extra 4c per litre in a week’s time. It make no economic sense to do so. However, perhaps in Malta, the eye is larger than the stomach.

By: Makjavel

Makjavel — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 19:17:00 +0000

Dak qammil bi flusu.

By: canon

canon — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 19:10:00 +0000

In reply to Daphne Caruana Galizia. So the budget was a useless exercise and waste of time.

By: Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Caruana Galizia — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 19:05:00 +0000

In reply to A Caffari.

“What’s wrong with stockpiling?”

Forgive me, but I have neither the time nor the inclination right now for a discussion about basic market economics and the social/market problems caused by stockpiling.

By: A Caffari

A Caffari — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 19:01:00 +0000

In reply to Daphne Caruana Galizia. What's wrong with stockpiling? Isn't it supposed to be an open market? Is the government of the day the only one who is allowed to make a profit?

By: Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Caruana Galizia — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 18:54:00 +0000

Price increases of that nature are never advertised beforehand to avoid stockpiling.