Michelle Muscat travelled nine times on government duty

Joseph Muscat says that average travelling costs of his wife's trips abroad on government duty amount to €1,191 per trip

25 July 2016, 4:55pm
by Tim Diacono

1 min read

Michelle Muscat has travelled abroad by herself on government duty nine times since 2013, her husband and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said.

She travelled to Belgium, the United Kingdom, Italy, Austria, Cyprus and the United States - at the invitation of Puttinu Cares, The European Organisation for Rare Diseases, AIDS/LifeCycle and the Special Olympics.

She also attended the canonisation mass of former Pope John Paul II at the Vatican City, along with an Opposition representative. She doesn’t receive a per diem allowance, but Muscat said that her average travelling costs stood at €1,191 per trip.

Muscat was responding to a parliamentary question by Opposition Whip David Agius.

“My wife has followed the same practice as that followed by the wives of previous prime ministers,” Muscat said, noting that former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi’ wife Kate Gonzi had travelled abroad by herself “numerous” times between 2007 and 2011, including to Cyprus, the UK, Belgium and Portugal.

Tim Diacono is a former reporter for MaltaToday.