Junior minister denies preferential treatment in issuance of permit

Parliamentary secretary Ian Borg has rebutted claims that the Malta Environmental and Planning Authority granted him preferential treatment for the issuance of a development application for a property in Rabat.

On Sunday, PN leader Simon Busuttil said that whereas the preceding owners had their development application turned down on the basis that it was against MEPA’s policies, Borg’s permit was granted within a few days of the application.

The issue surrounds the development of the parliamentary secretary’s property in Rabat. The property’s preceding owner, Noel Ciantar, has instituted a case before the Commission Against Corruption in order for it to shed further light on the issuance of the permit. This move has since been congratulated by Simon Busuttil, with the PN leader saying that MEPA’s actions were clearly a case of “two weights and two measures”, and that Borg was granted preferential treatment.

However, in a statement this afternoon, Borg “categorically denied” the allegations. Conversely, the parliamentary secretary for EU funds explained that it was untrue that his application was in any way similar to the one submitted in the past by the preceding owners.

“Instead of focusing on the country’s agenda, the Opposition leader is trying to capitalise on the baseless allegations,” Borg said.

Moreover, Borg also sought to turn the tables on the property’s previous owner, accusing the latter of trying to deny the public’s right of access to the zone known as tas-Simblija, in the limits of Rabat. It was only thanks to his own personal intervention and that of other NGOs that this right was safeguarded, Borg underlined.

Borg also explained that Ciantar had nothing to do with the property and never filed any applications for the development of the site. Notwithstanding this, the parliamentary secretary said that Ciantar had a right to request an investigation.