The Nationalist Party has criticised the “disgusting” timing of the publication of a report which detailed the spending and the potential economic output of the Mediterrane Film Festival.

In a statement, the PN pointed out how the report into the film festival’s spending was published after the party had been asking for it since July 2023, and noted how “coincidentally” the report was published on the same day that the Public Inquiry report on the death of Jean Paul Sofia was tabled in Parliament.

“This was another disgusting move by the government, which thought that this report would be forgotten due to the discussion [on the Sofia report] which began on that same day in Parliament,” the PN said.

The party said that the report is a worrying one which “reconfirms the lack of transparency and accountability in the excessive spending of public funds in the film industry.”

The PN continued by pointing out that the report shows that the film festival cost the taxpayer an estimated €3.8 million and that it is not clear how and where these millions were spent. It demanded the proper accounts so that a proper discussion about the spending can be done.

The report detailed the overall figure which was spent on the festival, but not give any detailed breakdowns on exactly how it was spent, while also claiming that €7 million was generated into the economy by the event. 

The party also questioned who the 249 invited guests to the festival were, and what the 53 jobs which were supposedly created by the festival according to the published report were.

“The Mediterrane Film Festival was more a pomp event by the Film Commissioner, at the people’s expense, to serve as a gathering for those close [to the government,” the party said.

The PN observed that its good for one to pave the way for workers in this industry and for more films to be brought to the country, as it is important for the economy and for careers in the industry, but said that it cannot agree with how this is being done.

“The PN reiterates that there should be a capping on the cash rebate, that there should be a wage regulation order for workers in the sector, and that rather than wasting the taxpayer’s money, Film Commissioner Johann Grech should use the money to arrange the Rinella filming tanks and build the Sound Stage that the government has been promising for a long time,” the PN said.

The PN said it will continue to emphasise on investments in the film industry to be done in production and in the artists so that even Maltese artists can be given every possibility to grow with the industry in Malta and Gozo.

The statement was signed by PN MPs Julie Zahra, Graham Bencini, and Jerome Caruana Cilia.