Resources authority in breach of the law over annual reports

The Malta Resources Authority – which regulates the country’s energy, water and mineral resources – has not published its annual reports and audited accounts since 2007.

The law setting up the MRA categorically states that an annual report has to be presented to the Minister responsible for the Authority and to the Minister for Finance, six weeks after the end of each financial year.

The Minister has to present this report to parliament eight weeks after receiving the report.

The law states that this report has to include information “dealing generally with the activities of the Authority during that financial year and containing such information relating to the proceedings and policy of the Authority.”

The MRA is also obliged to publish its accounts six weeks after the end of the financial year. The Minister is also expected to present the accounts to parliament eight weeks after a copy of the financial estimates.

No such reports have been presented to parliament, as required by law.

The Minister currently responsible for the Authority is Resources and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino.

A spokesperson for the Malta Resources Authority confirmed the annual reports for 2008, 2009 and 2010 will be tabled in Parliament by the end of November 2011.

According to the MRA, the audited accounts for these years could not be concluded in time due to a tax-related matter identified by the auditors.

According to the MRA, this problem had to be addressed as “it affected the accounts of a number of years.”

This matter has now been resolved.