The Nationalist Party insisted today that a development permit requested by Joseph Muscat at the time of the Sant government in 1998 was granted before the expiry of the period laid down by law for objections.

The party said that while Dr Muscat, through his lawyer, was saying that the case officer made her recommendations on February 23 (1998), the public documents showed the date as being February 26.

The law laid down that Mepa could not issue a permit before the expiry of two weeks allowed for objections. The two weeks were to run from February 15 (when notice was published in the newspapers) to March 2, as confirmed on the Mepa site. But the permit to Dr Muscat was, inexplicably, issued three days before.

The Mepa website showed that the Development Control Commission received the case officer's recommendation on February 26 and issued the permit within 24 hours, on February 27, the PN said.

The PN said that while Dr Muscat's lawyer had written that the permit was issued on March 27, the Mepa website showed that the decision was taken a month before, on February 27.

The PN also accused Dr Muscat of trying to pressure the press not to report this case, through his lawyer.