The two youngest MPs in the House of Representatives, have engaged themselves in a war of words over European Union funds.
After Dr Ian Borg, parliamentary secretary for EU funds, yesterday claimed that €200 million could be lost, this morning his Nationalist counterpart Ryan Callus replied, saying it was of no use to scare people.
PN MP Ryan Callus said that the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for EU funds, Ian Borg, has to work to ensure that the EU funds which Malta secured during the PN’s term in office won’t vanish into thin air.
“It’s vital that Dr Borg avoids embarking on scaremongering campaigns, by stating that the funds may be lost," he said.
Mr Callus was reacting to Dr Borg’s comments that he is fearing that Malta could lose 200 million euros in EU funds covering the 2007-2013 period.
While expressing satisfaction over Dr Borg’s remarks that bureaucratic procedures tied to EU funds should be reduced, Mr Callus said there was no mention whatsoever from Dr Borg that he would ensure that the funds aren’t lost.
“Dr Borg was proud to mention that thanks to a Labour government, there now exists a ministry responsible for EU funds.
“If it were for Labour, Malta would have never joined the EU, let alone have a minister responsible for such funds.
“It was the PN and the Maltese population who acted responsibly and did its utmost to see Malta join the EU,” Mr Callus said.
Mr Callus also asked Dr Borg why a call for applications hadn’t yet been issued to fill the vacant posts that arose following five officials who abandoned their posts within the Planning and Priorities Coordination Division and the Funds and Programmes Division to join the ministries parliamentary secretariats.
Dr Borg's reply did not take long to materialise.
DrBorg said that it would be better if the PN MP verified his facts before issuing certain statements.
“Firstly, it’s worth pointing out that the day after the general election, there were 12 vacant posts available within the managing of EU funds division, meaning the PPCD and the FPD,” the statement read.
The parliamentary secretariat denied that five officials abandoned their posts in order to join the ministries private secretariats, adding that it was three officials and not five, as Mr Callus pointed out.
“It also transpires that Mr Callus does not follow media reports since, in the event, he had done so, would have realised that Dr Borg set up the EU and Special Projects Unit within the Contracts’ Department in order to speed up the tendering process of projects tied to millions in EU funds, the funds of which could easily have been lost due to delays.
The parliamentary secretariat of Dr Borg further stated that the PPCD and FPD is in the process of issuing a call for applications to fill the vacant positions, a process which started well before Mr Callus issued his statement.