Foreign Office hides tenor Joseph Calleja’s €60,000 direct order

The identity of Joseph Calleja, Malta’s most famous contemporary tenor, has been concealed in new information released in the Government Gazette, avoiding questions and scrutiny regarding a €60,000 payment from public funds for an upcoming short concert.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a peculiar announcement stating that a direct order was given last March for “an official” to perform at the National Opera in Strasbourg this November. The performance coincides with the celebration of the foundation of the Council of Europe during Malta’s term as “President.

The direct order was issued to Mint Media Ltd, which is wholly owned by Anton Attard, the former NET TV boss and local representative of the popular Maltese tenor.

No further details were given on who the singer described as “an official”, and why he was not paid directly but only through an agent, avoiding costs to the exchequer.

For some reason, the website of the Malta Presidency of the Council of Europe also refrained from mentioning Calleja’s participation in a concert titled ‘Malta Sings Europe’ scheduled for November 4.

Senior diplomats informed The Shift that the unusual wording of this direct order was influenced by advice from the tenor’s team to minimize any association between Joseph Calleja and direct orders or public funding. They emphasized that although Calleja holds the title of “Cultural Ambassador,” he does not have any official role within the Foreign Office and is “definitely not considered an official,” as stated in the Government Gazette.

Although not officially paid as a Cultural Ambassador, Calleja and his agents have received hundreds of thousands of public funds in recent years, especially since Labour returned to power in 2013.

Until recently, his annual concerts were funded through hundreds of thousands of euros, which, according to former MTA Chairman Gavin Calleja, at one point even approached half a million a year.

While serving as a Cultural Ambassador, particularly during government-organized celebrations, Calleja receives substantial payments through his agents.

For example, this year, Calleja has recently returned from a government-sponsored trip to Japan, where he performed during Malta’s national day at the ongoing Expo in Osaka. In addition to this, he has an upcoming appearance in Strasbourg in November, costing €60,000. He was also engaged in the latest 5 million spending spree by Film Commissioner Johann Grech at the Mediterrane Film Festival. No details have been given on his public -funded payments.

The lucrative payments and sponsorships received by tenor Joseph Calleja from the government have remained a closely guarded secret. In 2023, The Shift filed Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to obtain a list of public funds given to Calleja or his agents since 2013. However, both Calleja and the Malta Tourism Authority objected, citing confidentiality and the “financial and professional interest” of the tenor.

Despite their objections, the Data Protection Commissioner ruled in favor of transparency and accountability, ordering the publication of these deals in the public interest. Calleja and the Malta Tourism Authority continued to contest this decision and filed an appeal challenging the Commissioner’s ruling. A final decision is still pending.