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The Ministry responsible for EU funds expresses its strong concern and disagreement with the way recent media reports have portrayed the discussions held between the Government of Malta and the delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT). The meeting, held on 2 April 2026, was conducted in a constructive, transparent and professional manner, with the participation of the Minister for European Funds and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, senior officials, and members of the CONT delegation. Discussions focused on Malta’s systems for the management, control and implementation of EU funds, including cohesion policy and the Recovery and Resilience Facility, as foreseen in the official programme of the visit. The meeting was based on a constructive dialogue, where all concerns based on a series of misconceptions were thoroughly and satisfactorily addressed by Government. Malta presented clear evidence of its robust governance, audit and control systems, including its multi-layered anti-fraud framework and cooperation with EU bodies. The members present also noted that Malta has achieved great results with EU funds. The Ministry notes with concern that the subsequent public narrative does not reflect the substance or tone of the meeting. It is evident that certain conclusions were drawn independently of the actual exchanges held in Malta, raising legitimate questions as to whether positions were pre-determined prior to the visit. The Ministry underlines that the management of EU funds in Malta is carried out under strict EU regulatory requirements, independent audit structures, and full traceability mechanisms. Malta has consistently demonstrated, strong absorption performance, with high levels of commitments across all funds, a robust and centralised governance model, ensuring coordination and compliance, a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and corruption, supported by cooperation with European Public Prosecutor’s Office and European Anti-Fraud Office and clear separation of functions between managing, certifying and audit authorities EU funds have delivered tangible results in infrastructure, economic development, skills, and social inclusion, contributing significantly to Malta’s growth and resilience. The Government of Malta remains fully committed to open, constructive and evidence-based dialogue with all European institutions and will continue to pursue a constructive dialogue based on the excellent results Malta has achieved over the years in managing EU funds. Source: MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN FUNDS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ELECTORAL PROGRAMME