[WATCH] Busuttil says he won’t honour PN deal on Armier boathouses

Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil says he is willing to discuss matter with interested parties

Simon Busuttil replying to questions by journalists
Simon Busuttil replying to questions by journalists

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Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has said he will not be tied down to a deal struck by his predecessor with the owners of the boathouses in Armier, who are claiming ownership of the public land they occupied illegally.

In comments to the media after a meeting with the Ombudsman, Busuttil said that, as from last election, there was no deal with the owners.

However, Busuttil said he is willing to meet and discuss the issue with interested parties.

“Today the PN has a new leader, and there is no deal. I am ready to meet anyone… but don’t expect me to be tied down to a deal in which I was not involved,” Busuttil said.

The previous PN government had reached an agreement for the building of new beach rooms instead of the old boathouses with members of the Armier boathouse lobby.

Asked about the Ombudsman’s report on parliamentary secretary Ian Borg’s property in Rabat, currently the subject of an anti-corruption probe, and the fact that the Prime Minister said that there were a number of mistakes in the report, Busuttil said that Muscat had to respect what planning ombudsman David Pace said.

“Even if he does not agree, Joseph Muscat should respect what the Ombudsman says. On what the Ombudsman remarked, Muscat already has a good reason to suspend the Parliamentary Secretary,” he added.

Busuttil said that while the prime minister was expecting highest standards from the Nationalist Party, he completely ignored standards when it comes to his own government.