PM says his choice of car was the cheapest option - he still pays his insurance cover

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said in parliament this evening that his decision to use his personal car as the official car meant considerable savings for the exchequer, more so as he still paid for the insurance cover and any damage. Replying to questions in parliament, Dr Muscat explained that when he was appointed prime minister, he was told that it was not viable to continue to use the former prime minister's official car. That car had frequent breakdowns and the repair bill last year alone was some €58,000, apart from the costs of leasing a replacement car, which varied from €40 to €100 a day. Civil Service officials invited him to select another car on the basis of specifications which the Civil Service considered appropriate for the prime minister and equivalent to the former prime minister's car. He saw the projected cost as being too high and asked what alternatives there were. Civil Service officials explained that under the former government, ministers had an official car and a secondary car. When they opted to use their personal cars as their secondary cars, they got an allowance of €7,000 - while keeping their primary official car. To save funds, Dr Muscat said he...