Transport Malta employees pressured to shift voting address to Minister Bonett’s district

Employees at Transport Malta are facing sustained pressure to change their registered residential address in a bid to influence voting patterns in favour of Transport Minister Chris Bonett, multiple sources have told The Shift.

Several employees, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they have been approached by political canvassers linked to Bonett, including senior officials within the authority, urging them to transfer their ID card address to localities within the minister’s electoral district.

According to the same sources, these intermediaries are offering to handle the address change process on behalf of the individuals, without requiring them to appear in person at the offices of Identità in Blata l-Bajda.

The alleged effort comes as Bonett faces mounting pressure on his re-election bid. Internal party polling indicates he is trailing behind rivals in the fourth electoral district – traditionally a Labour stronghold – and risks losing his parliamentary seat. Among those reportedly outperforming him are former minister Chris Fearne, Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, and Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri.

Under established procedures, individuals wishing to change their registered address must personally visit Identità offices and present documentation proving residence at the new address, such as a lease or purchase agreement. However, sources claim enforcement is weak, with limited verification of submitted documents.

In previous elections, multiple voters were found to be registered at the same address, including instances where large numbers of individuals declared residence in garages or basement properties. No action was ever taken on these false addresses.

A change in registered address automatically results in the issuance of a new voting document, allowing individuals to vote in a different electoral district.

Transport Malta sources claimed that Bonett’s canvassers are offering to bypass even these minimal requirements by arranging address changes without the individual’s presence or supporting documentation.

“This is completely illegal,” one source said, “yet it is being allowed to happen.”

Responsibility for oversight falls under Identità, currently led by CEO Edric Zahra, a former Armed Forces officer close to Mark Mallia, also a former AFM officer and now Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Robert Abela.

Transport Malta’s workforce has expanded significantly in recent years, growing from around 300 employees in 2013 to approximately 1,000 today. Many of these recruits were engaged through political channels.

The Authority is led by CEO Kurt Farrugia, who was previously spokesperson for disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat. Farrugia is currently understood to be involved in the Labour Party’s electoral campaign and is not regularly present at his Transport Malta office. He is paid €12,500 a month from state coffers.