A former consultant of the Malta Tourism Authority, George Micallef, was arraigned today in connection with the Mistra development controversy.

Mr Micallef, 48, from St Julians, pleaded not guilty to making a false declaration on and before October 2007.

Police Inspector Ian Abdilla testify that Mr Micallef told the police he had been asked by Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando to write a favourable report about a proposed discotheque project in Mistra, which was to be developed on land the MP owned.

Dr Pullicino Orlando had also asked Mr Micallef, in his role as acting CEO of the authority at the time, to accelerate a planning application of the Mistra project and switch it from an outline permit application (preliminary permit) to a full permit application.

The inspector said Mr Micallef had admitted in his statement to the police that he had written a favourable report on the disco project, first as a consultant to the authority and then on behalf of the MTA because he had been asked by Dr Pullicino Orlando, who was “his friend”, even though he did qualify that he would have still recommended the project from a purely touristic point of view.

The case continues.