The planning authority is seeking to recoup more than €65,000 for expenses incurred to demolish illegal buildings in 2004 on Marsascala land owned by Michael Axisa, in the same area the government is offering expropriation money to build a new university.
Mr Axisa (known as il-Lay Lay) is one of the landowners on the site at Żonqor Point earmarked for the proposed American University of Malta.
An ongoing court case started five years ago by Mepa against Mr Axisa’s company Lay Lay Limited demanded repayment of enforcement action costs for structures built on land outside development zone.
The Sunday Times of Malta asked the government whether the money owed is being taken into consideration in ongoing negotiations with Mr Axisa to expropriate his land for development.
A spokesman for the Office of the Prime Minister replied: “There is no decision on whether Mr Axisa’s land will fall within the parameters of the AUM for the simple reason that a decision is still to be taken on the matter.”
Read more in The Sunday Times of Malta.