Recycling plant lobby asks EU Commissioner to intervene

The Committee Against The Proposed Recycling Plant has asked European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas to investigate the application process of the proposed plant, as the lobby feels there was a breach of EU directives.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, committee secretary Joe Sant said a delegation made up of lawyer Toni Abela, architect Lino Bianco and the mayors of Marsascala, Fgura and Gudja, together with Paul Cutajar, the committee's PRO, went to Brussels and met Mr Dimas, who said he would be looking into the matter.

Mr Sant said they had presented Mr Dimas with a copy of a dossier compiled by the lobby group. The dossier, of a copy which was earlier this month passed on to local MPs, contained "evidence" that the decision to site an upgraded waste recycling plant in Sant'Antnin, Marsascala was a "forgone conclusion".

Mr Sant said they also met representatives of the European Parliament's Petitions Committee and presented them with a petition against the project containing 8,000 signatures.

"Prima facie they accepted the petition and they are likely to discuss the issue in the Petitions Committee," Mr Sant said.

The delegation also met MEPs forming part of the Socialist Group who sit on the Environment Committee.

Mr Sant said it was ironic that on the same day they were meeting Mr Dimas, Mepa announced that the public hearing, during which a final decisions is expected to be taken, will be held tomorrow morning.

He said the committee felt the time was not the best moment, considering that people would be at work and so won't be able to attend to voice their objections.

"It's also strange that Mepa is considering issuing a permit when there is an appeal pending against the outline application and a constitutional court case contesting the impartiality of Mepa's board," Mr Sant said.