MLP acting leader Charles Mangion said the government had confirmed that Malta this year has so far ended paying Lm14 million to the EU and drawing only Lm5 million from it.

This was because the necessary documentation the government should have completed, was not ready. Instead of benefiting from EU funds, Malta was not getting what it was entitled to, he said.

The government had conveniently not explained why its recurrent expenditure had not only surpassed the Lm7 million target, but surpassed it by Lm15 million. The weak justification the government had given did not justify one-third of that expenditure.

The fact that recurrent expenditure was surpassing targets raised doubt about the sustainability of public finances, Dr Mangion said. And falling back on drawing the funds due to Malta would shackle economic development, he added.