[WATCH] Abela slams 'capitalists pigging out' after court orders eviction of Qala family

Prime Minister Robert Abela has stated that government will do all that it can to prevent eviction for Nadur and Qala residents caught up in a land dispute involving the Abbazia di Sant’ Antonio delli Navarra, a 17th century foundation.

A Gozitan family has been ordered to evict their Qala home in a court decision that is bound to affect dozens of other families whose houses are built on land owned by the Abbazia di Sant’ Antonio delli Navarra, a 17th-century foundation.

The Abbazia di Sant Antonio degli Navarra’s heirs claim are rightful owners to swathes of land in Qala and Nadur.

The Abbazia, defined as a ‘lay benefice’, was set up as a foundation to hold the lands for heirs of the noblewoman Cosmana Navarra. The Stagno Navarra family, who claim they are heirs to the Abbazia, secured control of the foundation by paying off the Maltese Catholic Church an initial sum of €200,000 despite 20 years of legal challenges to the late Richard Stagno Navarra’s claim.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Abela stated Government had acted last year to address the case. He was referring to the introduction of Legal Notice 73 of 2022 in February, which resulted in the revocation of all land registrations in a large area of Nadur, which included the Abbazia’s titles.

Abela did not mince words, calling the attempt to evict the families from their homes, “an obscenity.”

“It’s not acceptable that speculators, such as those in this case, want to make their millions off of the residences of the people,” he said, calling it greed manifest (Dawn huma ħniżrijiet). Abela stated that he does not mind using this language when speaking about those who “pig out at the expense of the weak.”

The Prime Minister then addressed the Abbazia, saying, “Government will do all that is possible to ensure that this does not happen.” Abela refrained from commenting on the court sentence, saying that it is still subject to the appeal stage.

“I expect that our judiciary stays vigilant and protects the weak in this country, and does not give its protection to the capitalists abusing from their power and connections to punish the weak.”