Updated | Government stands by Mizzi Liang’s €3,000 monthly salary

The government has defended Malta Enterprise’s trade envoy to China Sai Mizzi Liang from accusation by the Nationalist Party of having lied about her salary.

Mizzi Liang’s salary is of €74,000 a year and a May pay slip tabled in parliament showed Mizzi receiving some €3,700.

Among other expenses which are covered by Malta Enterprise, Mizzi Liang received a representation allowance equivalent to €3,621 a year; a one-time outfit allowance payment equivalent to €931.75 and an annual child allowance – per child – equivalent to €1,454.
The Opposition has stood by its statement that Mizzi Liang receives €13,000 a month and accused her of lying to Maltese journalists in China.

But in a reaction, the government said the Opposition was now attacking Mizzi Liang – wife of Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi – to justify its claims.

“The government is committed to attract investment towards Malta and Mizzi Liang is in China to attract investment and commerce towards our island,” the government said.

“The government is achieving results but the Opposition doesn’t care about this. All it wants is to lie about a person who is delivering.”

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has also published in parliament a copy of two contracts belonging to two former ambassadors to China which showed they were employed on her same conditions.

The government went on to accused Opposition leader Simon Busuttil of persisting in his negativity “which is leading him towards one failure after the other”.

“Busuttil was positive only when he kept his mouth shut,” the government added in its statement.

Following the publication of Mizzi Liang’s contract in parliament, the PN said her full financial package translated into €13,000 a month. Moreover, it added, only half of her salary is taxed.
The PN said Mizzi Liang was also a minister’s wife and the Prime Minister was defending this choice.