Mepa chairman Vince Cassar.

Planning authority chairman Vince Cassar has said nobody spoke to him about a controversial planned amnesty aimed at sanctioning thousands of development irregularities.

“The chairman confirms that he was not involved in any discussion pertaining to this proposed amnesty of illegal development,” a Mepa spokesman told The Sunday Times of Malta.

The spokesman said the Mepa board chaired by Mr Cassar had not yet been presented with details of the proposed scheme.

“It is not pertinent to express an opinion when all details are still unknown and have not been yet discussed by the board,” the spokesman said.

Back in 2013, in his role as Chamber of Architects president, Mr Cassar had protested against another amnesty issued by Mepa under a Nationalist administration.

That amnesty aimed to sanction minor development irregularities such as small encroachments, ramps and steps that do not protrude more than 30cm beyond the official alignment.

Speaking to Times of Malta on January 30, 2013, Mr Cassar said he was against such amnesties.

“It’s just a repeat of what we’ve seen in other spheres. Rules aren’t properly enforced, and then there is an amnesty to straighten things out,” he had said.

‘Board has not yet had details of amnesty’

“There should be regular enforcement to ensure things don’t get to this stage. Those who break the law should not end up on an even footing with those who adhere to it.”

Asked to state whether Mr Cassar still stands by what he said in 2013, the spokesman said: “Mr Cassar has nothing further to add to the opinion he expressed in 2013”.

Although the Mepa chairman is distancing himself from the planned amnesty, the authority’s CEO Johann Buttigieg seems to have been fully aware of developments.

Those who break the law should not end up on an even footing with those who adhere to it

When The Sunday Times of Malta last month revealed that Mepa was planning an amnesty for illegal building violations, Mr Buttigieg acknowledged that the authority had done a lot of work on the proposal, but insisted it had not yet been presented to the board or Cabinet.

Mr Buttigieg had stressed this was not an amnesty but another sanctioning scheme, which is expected to operate on similar lines to past amnesties for VAT tax arrears and for people who tampered with electricity meters.

Owners of illegal buildings, including those in outside development zone areas (ODZ), will be expected to pay a one-time fee, which is heftier than the current sanctioning changes, through an online portal and file a series of documents, such as site plans.

However, the outcome is not guaranteed. The application will go to a board and only if it is given the green light, according to certain criteria, will the property be regularised.

The scheme, which the authority is hoping to roll out by summer, is meant to wipe out a substantial chunk of Mepa’s pending enforcement cases, which number about 10,000 and rake in more than €20 million.