It was “normal procedure” for a minister to sign Planning Control applications such as that issued for Nationalist Party deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami, a planning authority spokesman said.

The Times of Malta sent questions to Mepa after Economy Minister Chris Cardona said during a press conference yesterday that the intervention of former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi had made Dr Fenech Adami “a millionaire” by signing his development permit.

Yet, a Mepa spokesman said planning regulations on PC development applications needed ministerial approval. At the time of Dr Fenech Adami’s application, Dr Gonzi was the minister responsible for Mepa. His approval was, therefore, needed on all such applications and not specifically Dr Fenech Adami’s.

“PC applications related to rationalisation sites all require ministerial approval given that the application has to establish the road alignment, building height and zoning for the site,” the spokesman said. The only cases which do not require approval are those which only involve changes to the building alignment.​

Dr Fenech Adami and his family home in Għargħur were thrust into the national spotlight after the Labour Party media released a story claiming Dr Gonzi had exempted Dr Fenech Adami’s property from regulations “making it worth millions of euros in the process”.

Dr Cardona yesterday insisted the claims against Dr Fenech Adami were not coming from the Labour Party and were not meant as a distraction from the Panama scandal.

We are reacting to stories in the media and the stories are not being driven by the Labour Party

He was asked by the Times of Malta about the timing of the claims, reported by One News earlier this week, which were made as the government faces heavy criticism over Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi and the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Keith Schembri’s Panamanian companies.

Dr Cardona told this newspaper: “We are reacting to stories in the media and the stories are not being driven by the Labour Party.”

Nationalist Party deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami’s house in Għargħur. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

The story, being referred to by PL sympathisers under the hashtag #BeppeGate, was first promoted on social media earlier this week, urging viewers to tune in for the revelation of “a scandal about a PN deputy leader”. It was then released by the Labour Party news team.

Drone footage of Dr Fenech Adami’s house appeared on One earlier this week. Asked about complaints about the use of the drone, Dr Cardona declined to comment saying: “We are not the guys launching the drones.”

Dr Cardona also declined to comment when asked whether the PL would be referring the case to the authorities, saying only that it was “too early”.

During the press conference, Dr Cardona called on Opposition leader Simon Busuttil to take action against Dr Fenech Adami.

Dr Cardona said the case dated back to 1992 when Dr Fenech Adami had first applied to convert some rural buildings into a new development. In 2006, when ODZ boundaries were re-drawn, his grounds went from ODZ to a development area, thanks to “favouritism”.

Asked why Dr Fenech Adami would have declared the property to Parliament in his declaration of assets if he had anything to hide, Dr Cardona said: “Some people actually put down the information to cover up”. 

Dr Fenech Adami yesterday instituted libel proceedings against the Labour Party media over the claims.