When Parliament reconvenes in the new year, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will launch a new investigation that is expected to shed more light on activities within the Ministry for Tourism and the Ministry for Gozo between 2020 and the present year, the Nationalist Party said in a statement. As part of this process, the Committee will also examine the findings from the Auditor General's report concerning the Malta Film Commission.

This comes in the wake of the scandal involving former Minister for Tourism Clayton Bartolo and Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri, both found guilty of misappropriating public funds by awarding consultancy contracts to one of their spouses.

The investigation will be held following a request by the Partit Nazzjonalista for the PAC to scrutinise the Auditor General's November report titled Evaluating the Role of the Malta Film Commission in Promoting the Maltese Film Industry. Additionally, the Committee will be asked to examine the accounts of statutory authorities and parastatal entities under these Ministries for the five-year period from 2020 to 2024, the PN said Friday.

Although the Public Accounts Committee cannot issue condemnations or judgements, it plays a critical role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and public fund management oversight.

Given recent revelations of abuses by Labour Government Ministers involving public funds - notably resulting in the resignation of one Minister, while another still resists stepping down - the Partit Nazzjonalista insists on the necessity of bringing this matter before the PAC, the only Parliamentary Committee chaired by the Opposition.

The scandal exposed how former Minister Clayton Bartolo and Minister Clint Camilleri colluded to secure a consultancy role worth nearly €70,000 per year for Bartolo's wife, despite her lack of qualifications. In a separate report, the Auditor General investigated the Malta Film Commission's spending of millions in public funds.

The Auditor General's key findings include:

• The Malta Film Commission lacked a solid strategy and business plans for spending related to Malta Film Week
• The Commission failed to provide records of accounts and contracts, preventing the Auditor General from fully auditing Malta Film Week's expenses
• The Commission could not demonstrate that its multi-million-euro expenditure represented value for money
• Governance deficiencies, including the absence of meeting minutes and detailed expenditure reports, were highlighted
• A weak audit trail compromised business continuity, transparency, accountability, and value for money principles

The Partit Nazzjonalista supports strategic investment in the film industry to benefit both local productions and attract international projects. However, it demands full accountability from the Labour Government regarding how public funds are being spent.

The Public Accounts Committee hearing, where witnesses will testify under oath in the House of Representatives, is expected to commence after Parliament resumes following the Christmas and New Year holidays, the PN said.

The statement was signed by Darren Carabott, Chairperson of the PAC & Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Security, and Reforms, Graham Bencini, Shadow Minister for Finance and Claudette Buttigieg, Shadow Minister for Public Administration, Public Broadcasting, and the Fight Against Diabetes