Malta will be seeking financial assistance from the European Union after a weekend storm caused extensive damage to its infrastructure and agriculture.

Hours of relentless battering by the strong winds and rough seas, coupled by a powerful rainfall which at times turned into hail caused damage across both islands.

Private entrepreneurs lament broken windows and chairs, private citizens complain about damaged cars and property, and farmers are calculating the loss of the agricultural produce.

The parliamentary secretary for EU Funds, Aaron Farrugia, wrote on his Facebook page that he is in contact with the EU to explore the possibility that Malta obtains some funds to compensate for the damage caused.

Other countries which suffered similar fates in adverse weather conditions have been helped by the EU in the past, and Malta should be no exception in this regard.

He thanked parliamentary secretary Clint Camilleri and MEP Miriam Dalli who have shown their cooperation and expressed their support in this regard.

In a statement, the Department of Information said that in relation to recovering damages caused by this weekend’s storm, the government has been in touch with the European Commission to begin the process of tapping into the European Solidarity Fund. 

To this effect, all government departments have officially commenced with studies in order to cost the extent of all damages. 

Contact was made with European Commissioners Corina Cretu and Christos Stylianides by the Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds and Social Dialogue Aaron Farrugia to inform them that such studies have commenced, and that Malta will be formally triggering the process of tapping into the fund.