A planning authority liaison officer today testified in court that there was nothing unusual about the application for the Mistra Disco and it was filed within the normal parameters.

Lawrence Vassallo was testifying in the case against Phillip Azzopardi and Anthony Mifsud the former chairman and a member of the Development Control Commission, DCC, respectively who stand charged with trading in influence.

The controversial project was first brought to light during the general election last year where the Labour Party revealed that an open-air disco was likely to be developed on ecologically sensitive land in Mistra which belonged to Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.

Shortly after their arraignment former acting CEO of the Malta Tourism Authority, MTA, and George Micallef was also charged with making a false declaration.

Taking the witness stand, Mr Vassallo said that his office used to be situated at the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs and that his office was open to absolutely everyone.

Describing his job, he said that he tackled complaints and problems.

Dr Pullicino Orlando contacted him in 2006 about the project to see where it had come to. Mr Vassallo said he called various meetings between the interested parties including Dr Pullicino Orlando, the architects of the disco and the developers, where the way forward was discussed.

The meetings were just like any other of the many meetings he had with customers he said.

He recalled a particular meeting that took place in November 2007 where Dr Pullicino Orlando insisted upon a decision by the board as a date for the decision had been set and this had been ignored.

Time flew by with no decision and Mr Vassallo said that at a meeting with Dr Pullicino Orlando he had agreed that the pending decision was taking far too long.

Mr Vassallo insisted that this case was just like any other where board members would listen to customers’ complaints and then retire to consider the application however the application was no different to any other.

The case continues.

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