AUM moves to remove boats from its 'private water space' in Bormla

Momentum has expressed disappointment over what it described as the Labour government’s decision to grant control over part of Bormla’s coastline and surrounding sea space to the American University of Malta (AUM).

In a statement, Momentum said residents and boat owners in Bormla were informed this week that all vessels must be removed by 28 February from the stretch of sea in front of AUM. The area was described in the notice as the university’s “private water space.”

The party said the situation originates from a 2015 agreement which granted AUM extensive rights over the shoreline and the airspace above it. According to Momentum, the implications of that agreement are now being enforced on the ground, without consultation with residents.

Momentum questioned whether government had effectively surrendered public sea and airspace to a private foreign institution, adding that the development has caused concern among residents in Bormla.

The party stated that public land and sea should remain accessible to the public and not be treated as private property. It also questioned whether the restriction forms part of the government’s recently announced plans for the redevelopment of the Grand Harbour area.

Momentum called on the Prime Minister to clarify the legal basis of the notice, suspend its enforcement, and provide assurances that the coastline in Bormla will remain accessible to the public.

Momentum General Secretary Mark Camilleri Gambin said the residents of Bormla “deserve answers, respect, and a government that stands with them rather than against them.”