The Prime Minister kept the Baħrija controversy at arms length yesterday, telling The Times the government insisted with Mepa that it "strictly apply the approved policies and requirements set at law".

Lawrence Gonzi was in Brussels for a heads of government meeting of the EU at the same time that environmental groups held a protest in the quiet village. The groups reiterated their call for the Prime Minister to stop the development of a farmhouse in the pristine valley by Nationalist Party president Victor Scerri. However, it seems unlikely that Dr Gonzi would be intervening in the matter.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: "It should be pointed out that currently investigations are under way. The government insists that Mepa takes all the necessary measures provided at law if the law or one or more of its policies have not been adhered to".

Meanwhile, Nationalist MEP candidate Alan Deidun, who attended yesterday's protest, said the permit "should never have been granted". He insisted that the permit should have been refused in view of the "repeated" negative recommendations made by case officers and the area's ecological importance.

Dr Deidun said the fact that no objections were raised by third parties was not a valid enough reason to grant the permit because Mepa had the prerogative to judge cases on their individual merits, irrespective of objections raised by third parties.