Investigation Into Malta’s Film Commission Cash Rebate Spending Launched By National Audit Office
The National Audit Office is investigating the Malta Film Commission’s spending on the controversial cash rebates, it has now been revealed in the latest twist to a weeks-long saga currently plaguing the islands’ film industry.
Auditor General Charles Deguara confirmed this in correspondence between his office and a number of PN MPs who last month had called for the launch of such an investigation
In the letter – which was sent two days ago – Deguara requested the official opening of the investigation, saying the NAO has now started a “verification exercise” into “whether the country truly is financially, economically and socially benefitting from these initiatives”.
The PN’s push for a formal investigation came amidst the revelation that a staggering €137 million were allocated by the Malta Film Commission to beneficiaries that are companies registered outside Malta. According to the shared data, the Malta Film Commission had disbursed or obligated itself to disburse a total of €143.8 million in public funds over five years. Notably, a massive portion of this – the €136.8 million – was awarded to foreign beneficiaries.
According to Deguara, the NAO will now be investigating a number of points, including whether the Malta Film Commission’s spending on advertising and promotional material on the film industry is actually based on “a well-thought-out plan, according to its policies and plans”.
The analysis of whether “tangible benefits to the film industry” have actually been registered is also on the agenda, along with an investigation into whether “the financial and operational management” of the commission actually did follow “principles of accountability, transparency and good governance with a high level of internal controls”.
The NAO is also set to evaluate just how much the commission is actually supporting and sustaining the production of Maltese films so that even these are able to “access financial schemes and incentives”, a sore point for many local productions which had voiced their anger in the wake of this summer’s cash rebate revelations.
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