The Office of the Prime Minister this afternoon confirmed that an investigation is underway into how a permit was issued for development on an ODZ site in Siggiewi.
Its statement followed a press conference by the Nationalist Party during which its spokesman on Mepa, Ryan Callus, said that the Prime Minister’s silence over allegations that a permit has been approved for the construction of a house on fertile land in an Outside Development Zone in Siġġiewi was sending the message that the law was not the same for everyone.
The story was revealed by the Times of Malta last month.
Addressing a news conference, Mr Callus said the Prime Minister was hiding behind an investigation when the question that had to be answered was whether or not the person who signed a declaration that he had visited the farm to carry out inspections was a vet support officer.
This letter changed the decision from a 'planned refusal' to 'approval' since it was critical that the permit would only be issued if it was proven that the area was once a farm.
Mr Callus called on the authority to immediately stop the works until the allegations were addressed. He also called on the Environment Commissioner within Ombudsman’s office and the Police Commissioner to investigate whether there had been any infringements.
PN candidate Charlot Cassar said this was a form of discrimination because the vast majority of people were following the law while the few who were blatantly breaking it were being allowed to do so.
In its reply, the Office of the Prime Minister said that rather than speaking, the government investigated and acted.