Who was the biggest earner after leaving parliament?

Joseph Muscat, Konrad Mizzi, Marlene Farrugia, Simon Busuttil, Edwin Vassallo – which former MP from the last legislature was the highest earner after leaving office?

Under the Income Tax Management Act, the editor of a newspaper can request tax returns of Maltese MPs for up to two years after they stop being members of the House.

MaltaToday requested details of income in respect of 2021 and 2022 - as well as 2023 when available – for MPs who left office in the past legislature.

The controversial figures

One of the most controversial figures who left office in the past legislature was former prime minister Joseph Muscat, who in 2020 netted a sum of €361,540. Muscat resigned from parliament in October 2020 after having stepped down as prime minister in January that year.

The former Labour leader received an MP honorarium of €139,488, as well as declaring a profit of €222,052 in personal income. No declarations for 2021 and 2022 were made available.

Another controversial figure who saw his political career end during the past legislature was Konrad Mizzi, who formed part of Muscat’s inner circle of ministers.

In 2020, Mizzi declared an income of €132,368, and an income of €139,315 in 2021. No declaration was made available to MaltaToday for 2022.

Mizzi declared a profit of €109,070 in personal income, and an MP honorarium of €23,811 in 2020, and a profit of €115,128 and an honorarium of €24,187 in 2021.

Silvio Grixti, who resigned in December 2021 after being questioned by the police over his alleged involvement in the disability benefits racket and is currently facing court charges over the same case, declared an income of €110,573.

Grixti declared an income of €57,948 from his profession, and a further €21,825 from his employment with Malta Strategic Partnership Projects Limited. He also received an MP honorarium of €30,800.

In 2021, former Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi declared an income of €12,787. Declarations for the years 2020 and 2022 were not provided by the Clerk of the House.

A controversial figure from the last legislature was Marlene Farrugia, who was elected to parliament following a coalition between the Nationalist Party and the Democratic Party.

She declared an income of €119,231 in 2020, €177,030 in 2021 and €101,320 in 2022. Income stemmed from bank interests, profession, rents and the MP honorarium.

Highest earners

Together with her husband Godfrey Farrugia, Marlene Farrugia was among the highest earners.

Godfrey Farrugia declared an income of €24,643 in 2020, an income of €113,945 in 2021 and an income of €114,406 in 2022.

Apart from the former Democratic Party MPs, the highest earners were all Labour MPs.

The highest earner was former minister Emanuel Mallia who declared an income of €186,516 in 2020 and €254,428 in 2021. His income stemmed from his personal profession, employment with the Occupational Health & Safety Authority (OHSA) and the Office of the Prime Minister, a treasury pension, social security pension and MP honorarium.

Gavin Gulia, who won the casual election for the 7th District seat vacated by Edward Scicluna after obtaining 2,216 votes in a runoff with Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando in 2021, resigned from parliament minutes after being sworn in as MP.

In 2020 he earned €125,496 from his employment with Ozo Services Ltd, the Malta Tourism Authority, Housing Maintenance and Embellishment Ltd, Wasteserv Ltd, and also part-time employment with Ozo Services Ltd.

In 2021, he declared an income of €110,739 having been employed with Ozo Services Ltd., the Malta Tourism Authority and also part-time employment with Ozo Services Ltd.

Former Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo, who was among the longest serving MPs in the House, was also among the big earners. In 2020, he declared an income of €44,846, with the figure jumping to €100,311 in 2021.

Former Labour MP Ian Castaldi Paris, who was at the centre of a tax probe, earned €78,347 in 2020, €295,743 in 2021 and €110,115 in 2022. The tax probe in 2021 had revealed he owed €300,000 in taxes and fines.

Prominent individuals

Former Nationalist leader Simon Busuttil declared an income of €11,288 in 2020. Busuttil resigned his seat in parliament in January 2020, having been appointed general secretary of the European People’s Party

He received €1,884 from his profession, €5,502 from his employment at the University of Malta and an MP honorarium of €3,902.

Former Finance Minister and current Central Bank Governor Edward Scicluna declared an income of €87,988 in 2020 – the year in which he resigned. Scicluna received an overseas pension of €13,491, a treasury pension of €13,471 and a social security pension of €7,017. He also received an MP honorarium of €54,009.

Evarist Bartolo, the former education minister who contested the 2022 general election but was not elected, declared an income of € €97,483 in 2020, €95,093 in 2021 and €98,792 in 2022. Income was derived from occupational and social security pension, as well as an MP honorarium.