Autobuses de Leon awarded €9.6 million in subsidies so far

Spanish company Autobuses de Leon received €9,583,330 in subsidies between January and May 2015, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi informed parliament.

Mizzi was replying to a parliamentary question tabled by PN MP Marthese Portelli.

The Spanish company was awarded the contract near end 2014 to operate Malta’s public transport. The Opposition has long been calling for the publication of the contract, with the government promising to publish it in “due time”.

Arriva’s contract, the former public transport operator, had been published almost a year after it was signed.

According to previous statements by the Transport Minister, Arriva had asked for a further €45 million in subsidies in order to introduce new routes, while Autobuses de Leon will be receiving €29 million to operate the same routes.