Momentum reports MPs Bedingfield, Muscat, Spiteri Grech and Attard for covering up for films Commissioner

Momentum has requested an investigation by the Standards Commissioner into the behaviour of the MPs Bedingfield, Muscat, Spiteri Grech and Attard for covering up for Film Commissioner Johan Grech with their vote in last PAC session. In doing so they assuring that the Maltese people are kept in the dark about 7.2 million in public funds, spent by the Malta Film Commission between 2019 and 2022 and which remain unaccounted for with neither receipts nor any form of documentation. This matter of mismanagement of funds had already been flagged by the NAO.

A copy of the request sent by Momentum Leader Arnold Cassola is attached below.

———- Forwarded message ———
From: Arnold Cassola 
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2025 at 17:15
Subject: Talba Investigazzjoni Kummissarju tal-Istandards dwar Membri tal-AC
To: Charles Polidano – Office of the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life

Għażiż Kummissarju Azzopardi,

Qiegħed nirrapporta lill-membri tal-PAC, l-Onorevoli Glenn Bedingfield, Alex Muscat, Amanda Spiteri Grech u Ramona Attard, għall-imġiba tagħhom fl-aħħar seduta tal-PAC fil-Parlament.

Bil-vot tagħhom fil-Kumitat huma assiguraw li l-poplu Malti ma jkollux rendikont ta’ 7 miljun ewro mill-flus tat-taxxi tal-poplu li ntefqu mill-Kummissarju tal-Films, mingħajr riċevuti u dokumentazzjoni oħra.

In-NAO kien ġa ġibed l-attenzjoni dwar il-mismanagement ta’ dawn il-flus.

Skont Baldacchino-Bartolo-Grima 2017, “In Malta, the PAC is mandated to examine and inquire into reports, accounts, and related matters as referred to it by the Auditor General, a Minister, or the House of Representatives (HoR). The Committee is also empowered to demand the Auditor General to undertake and issue memoranda as requested by three members of the Committee, as well as to report to Parliament, among other roles (Standing Orders, SOs, of the HoR: Art. 120E). Moreover, the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (Cap.534) in 2014 has broadened the PAC’s remit to incorporate the operations of the Fiscal Council”.

F’dan il-każ speċifiku, l-erba’ Onorevoli msemmija użaw il-pożizzjoni u l-vot tagħhom biex ma jippermettux l-“examination” u l-“Inquiry” fl-accounts dubjużi,  u sa issa misterjużi, li ma ġew qatt ippreżentati mill-Malta Film Commission.

Minflok ma qdew dmirhom skont il-ġurament parlamentari tagħhom biex ikun hemm trasparenza dwar dawn il-7 miljun ewro tal-poplu, servew ta’ forċina għal individwu wieħed, l-Kummissarju tal-films, biex dan ikun jista’ iżomm mistur mill-poplu Malti kif nefaq 7 miljun ewro.

Nitolbok għalhekk tinvestiga dan il-ksur ta’ etika gravi u sfaċċat.

Inselli għalik,

Prof. Arnold Cassola

Momentum

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