Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said today that the National Audit Office report on encroachment permits that were issued before the last election showed that the PN had no credibility where it came to good governance.

Accusing former PN minister Jason Azzopardi of acting incorrectly when he intervened in the issue of encroachment permits days before the election, Dr Bonnici accused the PN of using a different yardstick for different people, and of having no credibility.

Following a declaration by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat that in the three months before the last election the government had issued 100 encroachment permits, the NAO found that 25 permits were issued. Out of these only 13 were authorised by then Minister Jason Azzopardi, who was responsible for the government property..

Asked to state whether the Prime Minster was mistaken when he gave out the wrong information to Parliament, Dr Bonnici defended the Prime Minister.

“This happened because one of the permits included 60 different encroachments,” Dr Bonnici insisted.

Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Louis lashed out at PN leader Simon Busttil and said that Dr Azzopardi’s “bad governance” happened when Dr Busuttil was PN deputy leader.

Asked whether he also condemned what happened in the Old Mint street debacle when the Gaffarena family was given €1.6 million for half a property, Dr Zammit Lewis said that he would like to await the NAO investigation over the case before passing political judgement.