Updated | ITS land transfer documents published, parliamentary debate to be held on Tuesday

A parliamentary discussion on the transfer of the former ITS site to DB Group will be held tomorrow, on the request of Opposition leader Simon Busuttil.

OPM Minister Konrad Mizzi was meant to deliver a ministerial statement in parliament this evening on the €60 million sale of the land at St George’s Bay to Seaport Franchising, the company owned by hotelier Silvio Debono.

The government this evening published several annexes to the ITS land contract, in reply to the requests made by independent MP Marlene Farrugia and the Nationalist Party.

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In its statement, the government said never before did an administration publish contracts, in their entirety, so soon.

“This is another sign of transparency of a government that holds no qualms in publishing its major contracts,” it said. “It’s a pity that the opposition attempts to attack such a big investment by a local investor, in an attempt to create baseless doubts.”

In parliament, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil requested that the debate is postponed to tomorrow, allowing the opposition to study the documents. Busuttil also insisted that the statement be delivered by the Prime Minister, whose office holds the lands portfolio.

“The opposition refuses to recognise a minister who holds a private company in Panama,” Busuttil said.

Intervening, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he was ready to postpone the debate to tomorrow, but the statement will be delivered by Mizzi.

“I am Prime Minister and I have appointed Konrad Mizzi to work on the project. He is best placed to deliver the statement. If the opposition plans on repeating the pantomime of walking out on Mizzi, the debate will be held today; If [Simon Busuttil] agrees to participate in the debate with Mizzi, we will postpone to tomorrow,” Muscat replied.

Arguing that no minister with a Panama account would form part of his Cabinet, Busuttil reiterated that discussing the contracts tomorrow would allow the PN time to study the documents – and an agreement was reached.