Police receive reports on M’skala mayor’s alleged campaign overspending
Julia Farrugia
The Commissioner of Police has been alerted to allegations that Marsaskala’s incumbent Labour mayor, Mario Calleja, has exceeded the legal limit for expenditure on his campaign for re-election.
The Director of Local Councils Natalino Attard confirmed yesterday that an anonymous letter points towards lavish extravagance on the part of the PL candidate.
“I confirm that I received an anonymous letter on 29 May,” Attard told MaltaToday, “A copy of this letter is being sent to the Commissioner of Police for the necessary investigations according to law. If proven, this allegation constitutes a crime.”
Sister newspaper Illum revealed last Sunday the content of a letter, sent anonymously by another candidate for the Marsascala local council election, to the local council director. A copy of the same letter was also delivered to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.
The letter urged the Director of Local Councils to investigate how Calleja is exceeding the expenditure limit established by law for one’s personal election campaign, claiming that the Labour candidate has spent thousand of euros by throwing a lavish party and organising various coffee mornings.
Maltese law stipulates that each local council candidate cannot spend more than €1,165 (Lm500.13) or €0.25 for each registered vote in a particular locality, whichever figure is the highest.
In Marsaskala there are 7,735 registered voters, meaning that the maximum expenditure of a local council candidate in this town cannot exceed €1,933.97.
Among the expenditure currently under scrutiny are various propaganda initiatives, including a “Grand Reception” scheduled for tomorrow night at MonteKristo Estates in Hal Farrug.
According to a spokesperson for the premises, venues can be booked at anything between €1,000 and €2,000, depending on which area the activity takes place.
The figures do not included food and beverages, which Calleja was also offering free of charge.
In the past few days, Marsaskala residents also received a 12-page full colour election campaign brochure highlighting the incumbent Mayor’s public profile.
Speaking to MaltaToday, Natalino Attard also stated that following the anonymous letter, he has also alerted the Electoral Commission.
“A copy of the letter is being also sent to the Electoral Commission, which according to the Third Schedule of the Local Councils Act, is the entity responsible for the Local Councils elections.”
Marsaskala’s Labour mayor is also at the centre of another controversy. The VAT Department is investigating the council’s failure to declare VAT on advertising revenues generated from its magazine ‘Max-Xtajta’, and from another similar publication called ‘Ix-Xatt’.
Councillors had protested at the lack of transparency behind the publication, accusing Calleja of failing to produce receipts or accounts related to the magazine.
Parliamentary secretary Chris Said confirmed the investigation is still ongoing. “If it is found that there was a violation of the law, the matter will be taken to the competent authorities,” he said.
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