4.08pm Update - PN demands explanation
The government is not yet in a position to state whether it has lost any EU funds due to the delay in the completion of the Safi Aviation Park project.
Economy Minister Chris Cardona confirmed in Parliament what the Times of Malta reported: that the project was hit by massive delays.
Replying to questions by Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi, he said three hangars being constructed as part of the project would be completed in August, more than a year after the original completion date.
PN European Affairs spokesperson Roberta Metsola said this wasn't the first time funds had been lost. "After the Coast Road and Cittadella cases, now it's the Aviation Park's turn."
According to the original development brief to extend Safi Aviation Park, the project was to be completed in March 2015 at a cost of €4 million. Most of the money came from the European Regional Development Fund and had to be used by last December.
The assessment on how EU funds were used at the level of the programme is ongoing
When asked whether any EU funds would be lost due to the delay in the project’s completion and if so how much, a spokesman for Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg said the situation was still being assessed.
“We cannot speak of loss of EU funds in relation to an individual operation”, the spokesman said. “The assessment on how EU funds were used at the level of the programme is ongoing and the secretariat will only be presenting a full picture of the situation at the level of the programme later this year once all the relevant programme closure procedures are finalised by the EU,” he said.
PN spokesperson Dr Metsola slammed the reply. "It's unacceptable for a government to refuse to say precisely how much money is being lost on this project, as well as the reasons why."
Similar issues regarding EU funds emerged with regard to other projects. These include the Coast Road project, where the EU intervened to withhold funds due to the non-observance of EU procurement rules. The government said that, though the EU funds were lost with regard to that project, they were still utilised elsewhere.
The Ċittadella project in Gozo was another case where the project went substantially beyond its scheduled completion date.
The delays connected to the Safi project only became evident a few days ago during a visit by the Prime Minster to the project. When addressing the press, Dr Muscat made no mention of the delays but a spokesman for Malta Industrial Parks later confirmed the project was behind schedule.
The spokesman said the main reason for the delay were archaeological finds during excavation works, adding MIP was working hard to minimise any possible loss of EU funds.