The controversial Bahrija farmhouse case remains wide open and there are major issues and questions which still have to be answered, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this morning.
Speaking on One Radio during an interview with journalist Aleander Balzan, Dr Muscat said that applicant Victor Scerri’s resignation from PN president was nothing or very little.
“Someone has to shoulder political responsibility. This is crucial in view of the alarming report written by the Mepa auditor,” he said.
Dr Muscat said that the report was the death knell of Mepa’s credibility.
“I am extremely worried that evidence which can be crucial has disappeared. No one knows where the file relating to this case is. I would like to know what it contains. What documents does it contain that can throw light on this case? When was it last consulted? Who saw it last? When?”
Clear replies were needed and political responsibility needed to be taken even on the disappearance of such file.
Dr Muscat noted that the Prime Minister personally appointed half the members of the Development Control Commission. Would he shoulder responsibility? Would this be shouldered by minister George Pullicino, who was responsible for Mepa when the last permit was issued? Would it be shouldered by MP Philip Mifsud, a member of the DCC board which had given the initial permit?
Dr Muscat said that this case was showing that the Prime Minister had not learnt anything from the June 6 elections. The people were hoping the result would lead to changes but there was now confirmation that this was not the case.
The attitude that no action could be taken against the DCC members at the time because they had resigned was an attitude of someone who did not want to shoulder responsibility.
The Labour leader described the government’s proposals for changes in Mepa as a vote of no confidence in this authority. This authority had started as the solution but it was now the problem. This was a fact accepted by the government.
He said that a reform on its own was not enough, there had to be enforcement.