Government earns as much dividends as budgeted from companies with BOV alone

The government of Malta has earned a Gross dividend of over Lm1.8 million from its twenty-five per cent shareholding in Bank of Valletta.
The board of Directors of Bank of Valletta met last Friday to discuss and approve the interim financial results as well as to propose a Dividend. With a declaration of 6.75 cents gross dividend per share, the government is set to receive over Lm1.8 million.
This is a good return from an investment wherein the Government is the single largest shareholder but has no direct influence on how the Bank operates.
In the 2007 estimates the Government calculated to earn Lm 1.8 million from dividends from publicly listed companies. The Government has another shareholding of 20% in Malta International Airport that like BOV is quoted on The Malta Stock Exchange.
Following its divestment of its shareholding in Maltacom, the Government is left with just these two prime assets from which to earn its projected income.