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Labour, PN councillors investigated for alleged misuse of EU funds
Both Labour and Nationalist councillors admit to being under ongoing investigations by the police.
At least six councillors have been questioned over alleged misuse of EU funds for travel arrangements, MaltaToday is informed.
These include Local Council Association (LCA) President Michael Cohen, LCA deputy presidents Claudette Abela Baldacchino and Ian Micallef, San Lawrenz mayor Noel Formosa, former Mellieha mayor Joe Borg and Birkirkara deputy mayor Doris Borg.
Investigations on the misuse of EU funds for travelling has focused on councillors from both major political parties. Neither Labour nor the Nationalist Party have mentioned the ongoing investigations.
MaltaToday confronted the councillors coming from both political parties and asked for their comments on investigations about the misuse of EU funds.
Claudette Abela Baldacchino, also deputy mayor of Qrendi, recently stepped down from the role of personal assistant to Labour leader Joseph Muscat just 45 days after she was appointed in July.
When asked about the alleged ongoing investigations, she said: “Yes, I have been asked about it.”
However, the former Super One journalist failed to elaborate any further. It remains unclear whether her resignation as Muscat’s personal assistant in September had anything to do to with the investigations.
When asked whether these investigations were in any way related to her unexplained resignation as Muscat’s PA, Baldacchino cut the conversation short and hung up.
Labour Kalkara mayor Michael Cohen, 52, confirmed with MaltaToday that he is being investigated for the misuse of EU funded travelling. “I do not agree with the investigation being conducted by the police,” he added.
Gzira PN councillor Ian Micallef confirmed that he was questioned over a year ago. “But I categorically deny having done such things,” Micallef said when contacted.
Former Mellieha mayor Joe Borg said he was contacted over six months ago over the issue, but has not yet received any citations to appear in court.
Borg – who also happens to be the father-in-law of Edgar Galea Curmi, the Prime Minister’s head of secretariat – denied having taken any money. Asked whether he had felt uncomfortable being interrogated considering his relationship with Galea Curmi, Borg said: “What does he have to do with the case?”
San Lawrenz mayor Noel Formosa, elected on the PN ticket, was also questioned on the same matter. When contacted, Formosa said he had been questioned “a long time ago”. Asked further questions, Formosa said: “I cannot answer as I am abroad”.
Attempts to contact Birkarkara deputy mayor Doris Borg proved to be futile by the time we went to print.
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I am not surprised If this government can do it and get away with it why not the councilors.Its Malta's favorite pastime.
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I'm not surprised that Labour councillors are involved because, well, they are Labour after all but I'm shocked that a couple of Nationalists have also been mentioned.
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I hope and I'm confident that, in their case, it's all a mistake
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If it turns out that they did not do anything wrong then all well and good I hope we agree on that.
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Since their inception in the '90s, Local Councils have been a very good source of money squandering and I am sure that they have contributed in no small way to the monstrosity of the national debt and the 'massive hole' in the national finances.
Of course, generally speaking, they have done positive things in certain localities. Even here, some councils delivered whilst others delivered less. Others were almost nonexistent and their inabilities to perform is more than evident.
And weighing the budgets allocated to enact and administer the local councils structure against their deliverables, the results are desperately worrying and shameful.
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This "misuse" has to be kept in proportion. It's not as if they took something to which they were not entitled to. The merely "converted" it into cash. Nobody lost anything.
Not very ethical, true, but fairly common practice amongst those who are entitled to travel first class for business reasons.
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If found guilty all should relenquish their position on the council of their respective town or village.
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Mis-use of EU funds is one malady that needs to be checked into because these funds could be used for better things.
