European elections cost the Maltese taxpayer €4.2 million

The European elections held in may cost the Maltese taxpayer €4.2 million, an answer to a parliamentary question revealed.

Wages paid to the Electoral Commission staff, assistant commissioners and other personnel involved in the voting process amounted to over €2.7 million, while  €578,455 were spent on contractual services, hospitality and equipment.

330,000 voters were eligable to cast their vote in Malta to elect six Maltese MEPs in what is
the second biggest democratic exercise in the world, with 400 million people eligible to cast their vote across Europe.

However, the traditional voter apathy for European elections saw the turnout stand at just under 75%, four percentage points below the turnout in the 2009 elections and some 17 points below the 2013 general election turnout.