Opposition asks PAC to investigate MFSA spending on golden handshakes

The Nationalist Party calls for political responsibility to be shouldered over spending at the Malta Financial Services Authority

The Opposition will be asking Parliament's public accounts committee (PAC) to investigate two recent reports on the Malta Financial Services Authority that concerned spending on golden handshakes.

The Nationalist Party spokespersons Mario de Marco and Kristy Debono said the information that emerged so far indicated that these payments went against the principles of good governance.

The PN said that political responsibility must be shouldered for this abuse.

One of the reports the Opposition was referring to, is an alleged golden handshake being considered for an employee, who was axed.

In an embarrassing situation for the government, MFSA board member and former Labour justice minister and deputy leader, Joe Brincat, filed a judicial letter against the authority's CEO Joseph Cuschieri on Monday.

Brincat claimed that the payment was a breach of the law and brought shame upon the government’s administration.

The second report the PN was referring to was the recent retirement and re-recruitment of George Spiteri, the former MFSA human resources director, who was paid over €150,000 to retire, only to be re-employed in the same position by the Malta Business Registry, which was hived off from the MFSA earlier this year.

“The Opposition condemns the way the MFSA is making use of public funds,” the PN said, calling on the PAC to investigate the two cases.

READ ALSO: Former Labour justice minister says MFSA golden handshake scandal shames country