In a historic first for a Maltese newspaper, the European Ombudsman on Tuesday recognised MaltaToday’s right to access to data detailing the allowances received by Malta’s five MEPs.
Ombudsman P. Nikiforos Diamandouros said the European Parliament’s refusal to grant the newspaper access constituted maladministration and that MEPs have to be aware of the public interest in their use of public funds.
Typically for Malta, although the decision was splashed on several news bulletins including Euronews, no local TV station or newspaper deemed it fit to report the news, save for The Times.
Almost two years after submitting his complaint, Matthew Vella, editor of MaltaToday’s Wednesday edition, will be awaiting a decision by the European Parliament to grant this newspaper access to the payments – daily allowances, assistants’ salaries and travel allowances – paid to Malta’s five MEPs after it was refused access back in August 2005.
The Ombudsman’s decision has far-reaching ramifications on the spending trail of 785 European parliamentarians and comes at a time when more transparency and accountability is being called upon the parliament.

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