Momentum has filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request with the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), seeking the publication of documents related to VisitMalta's sponsorship of Italian regional football club Ars et Labor Ferrara, formerly known as SPAL.
The party said in a statement that the request follows the recent acquisition of the club by JP Football Holdings Ltd, a company owned by Maltese developer Joseph Portelli. Momentum said the public has a right to know how taxpayer funds are being spent and whether the sponsorship serves a legitimate national interest.
In its FOI request, the political party is seeking full disclosure of documents relating to the sponsorship agreement, including its financial value, annual payments, any performance targets or key performance indicators, and analyses used to justify the investment.
Momentum is also requesting documentation showing the tourism rationale behind sponsoring a club competing in Italy's regional football leagues, as well as any market research assessing the expected benefits for Malta's tourism industry.
The request further seeks evidence that conflict of interest assessments were carried out following the club's change in ownership, details of any procurement or competitive evaluation process undertaken before the sponsorship was awarded, and cost-benefit analyses used to measure the return on investment.
The party said the request forms part of its broader campaign for greater transparency in public spending, arguing that taxpayers should have access to information on how public funds are allocated.
Momentum General Secretary Mark Camilleri Gambin criticised the rationale behind the sponsorship, questioning whether it represented an effective use of public money.
"The premise of this sponsorship is deeply flawed. Malta does not suffer from a lack of tourist numbers; if anything, our infrastructure and environment are suffering under the current volume. Pumping our tax money into an Italian regional football club to attract even more visitors is economically misguided and irresponsible," he said.
Camilleri Gambin added that the sponsorship raised questions about whether it was supported by evidence or amounted to "a state-funded subsidy for a well-connected developer's overseas venture."
He said the Malta Tourism Authority should publish the relevant documents and explain the basis on which the agreement was reached.
Momentum said it would publish the findings of the FOI request once the requested documents are released.