Żurrieq farmers accuse lands minister of twisting words on road controversy

Farmers in Żurrieq have accused Lands Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi of “playing with words” to downplay concerns over a proposed road that would cut through publicly owned agricultural land in the area known as Tal-Bebbux.

The controversy centres around a planning control application filed by a private developer seeking to build a road through government-owned fields that have been cultivated by locals for generations. If approved, the plan would effectively evict at least two farmers currently working the land.

While the land is classified for development under the 2006 local plans, the application has sparked a wave of public objections—numbering in the thousands—and formal opposition from the Żurrieq local council. Nonetheless, the Lands Authority, which falls under Zrinzo Azzopardi’s political remit, has not raised any objections. The project cannot move forward without the authority’s approval.

Speaking with Andrew Azzopardi on RTK103 on Saturday, Zrinzo Azzopardi insisted that the Lands Authority is simply following existing procedures.

“This is a planning control application within the development zone,” he said, adding that the land was originally earmarked for full development. “Last year, following government direction, the decision was made to retain ownership of the land and develop it only for the community’s benefit.”

He also said that an understanding had been reached with the Żurrieq local council to ensure that any development on the land would be “limited to projects that benefit the broader community.”

But that claim has been contested by the farmers directly impacted by the proposal.

Robert Bondin Carter, one of the two farmers, responded on the same radio programme: “The government says it’s not giving the land to private developers. Fine. But if it’s building a road through public land to give them access, who is it helping?”

Annalisa Schembri, also a farmer, accused the minister of misrepresenting the local council’s position.

“The council’s submission to the Planning Authority clearly states that the ‘Local council insists public land should remain as agricultural land and the zoning requirements including any new streets in the land owned by the development,’” she said.

Schembri also criticised the minister for not engaging with the affected farmers directly. “I want him to come see our fields. Maybe then he’ll admit it’s not the local plans tying his hands—it’s something else. Let’s be honest.”

Both farmers are frustrated bywhat they described as relentless development pressure in Żurrieq, pointing out that multiple ministers elected from the fifth district have failed to intervene.

“Żurrieq is being bombarded with development,” Schembri said. “When we look back years from now, who will we point the finger at for what we have done?”