Germany to assist AFM for EU summit in Malta

Economy Minister still working on reply to PQ about travel, beverage expenses

The German Air Force will be supporting the Armed Forces of Malta during the EU’s informal summit in Malta on 3 February, the National Security Ministry said yesterday.

In response to a request from the Maltese government, the German government has agreed to contribute defence assets to support Malta’s security operation for the summit, which will host all EU leaders.

The Germans will deploy a mobile air surveillance radar system to enhance security during the summit. Malta currently holds the six-month rotating EU presidency.

“The government of Malta welcomes the contribution by the German government during such an important event,” the ministry said.

It is the biggest summit hosted by Malta since November 2015 when the migration summit for EU leaders was organised. Economy Minister Chris Cardona said yesterday that information requested by a PN MP on travel, food and drink expenses incurred by his ministry in the past four years is still being gathered.

PN MP Edwin Vassallo asked the minister to list his travel expenses for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, and to state the names of those who had travelled with him. He was also asked to state where the tickets had been purchased from, what expenses had been incurred for food and transport and what costs had been incurred on drinks from hotels or other places.

The minister said the information was still being gathered and would be provided at a future sitting.

Last month, the National Audit Office rapped Dr Cardona over a €756 spend on alcohol during a Dubai visit. €318 had been spent on hotel mini-bar booze. Dr Cardona was in Dubai with chief of staff Mario Azzopardi and personal assistant Dana Bonnici. Mr Azzopardi was later blamed for the minibar spend and was asked to refund the amount, in what PM Joseph Muscat described as a ‘mature decision’.

The government did not say if the balance would be refunded and, if so, by whom.