The saga of requisitioned properties

I would like to thank Frank Psaila, the Nationalist Party's information director, for suggesting to the Labour Party that, as a New Year resolution, it should return to the owners all the properties it requisitioned throughout the Labour years and adequately compensate owners.

This is, however, just wishful thinking and it is naive for the PN to think that the PL will ever take such a decision.

The PL will hang on to these clubs for as long as possible and it will only be the court that can evict them. We are doing just that and have started court proceedings to evict the PL, which is occupying our premises by using it as a club. If we do not get justice from the Maltese court we have no alternative but to refer the matter to the European Court.

I find it hard to understand why the PN, having lambasted the PL about these illegal requisitions in the media, failed to protect the unfortunate owners in the Rent Reform Bill.

The only solution for the two parties to save face is to get their heads together and resolve the issue amicably with the owners. Failing that, one can only resort to the European Court, which would entail the granting of damages far above those given by the Constitutional Court, apart from putting both parties in a bad light. Then, if that happens, as the PN rightly said, it would be the taxpayers who will foot the bill.