Updated | Azzopardi refuses questions over Lowenbrau land transfer • Bonnici insists PN should act against MP

Jason Azzopardi & Owen Bonnici Clash Over Lowenbrau Lands Transfer

Shadow justice minister Jason Azzopardi refused to entertain questions from the press related to the 2009 land transfer of the former Lowenbrau brewery in Qormi.

The land was transferred to major developer and PN donor Nazzareno Vassallo for a mere €706,400, significantly lower than its land value of €8 million. At the time, Azzopardi was parliamentary secretary responsible for lands.

However, at a press conference he refused to answer questions regarding who took the decision to waive the original condition granted to Marsovin that the land be used as a brewery, or why he didn't take court action for government to take the Qormi land back to dispose of through parliamentary resolution.

He said that all answers will come out in a libel case he instigated today against justice minister Owen Bonnici, over the minister's allegations that he had personally intervened to ensure Vassallo acquired the land in question on the cheap.

"All questions about the case from A to Z can be asked in court, and I look forward to the truth coming out," he said. "I didn't just file for libel, but took the rare step of requesting that the case be heard urgently. I hope Bonnici accepts my request."

Azzopardi could have come clean in 2012, but chose not to - Bonnici

Addressing a press conference at the Labour Party headquarters in Hamrun, justice minister Owen Bonnici said that despite Azzopardi's claim that he took action as soon as he found out about irregularities in Lowenbrau land transfer, when the issue was raised back in 2012, Azzopardi had implied that there was nothing irregular about the case.

He said that Charles Buhagiar, writing in The Times of Malta December 2012, questioned how the Lowenbrau land had been transferred at such a low value when part of the land previously occupied by the Les Lapins Hotel was transferred for €3m.

"Azzopardi, through the ministry's communications coordinator replied that the two cases were in fact different and did not say anything about him taking any action," said Bonnici, adding that Azzopardi had the opportunity to come clean, yet chose not to do so.

"What he told the Independent on Sunday, could easily have been said at the time," he said, referring to an article published in the Malta Independent on Sunday, in which the former minister claimed that he had taken action as soon as irregularities were flagged.

Bonnici said that if the Nationalist party is serious about good governance, then action should be taken against Jason Azzopardi.

"Simon Busuttil yesterday had the opportunity to show how much he really believes in honesty. There is proof that Jason Azzopardi did not act appropriately and on the basis of these facts, if Busuttil is faced with a test which he is obliged to act upon, if he expects people to belive him," said Bonnici.