Moviment Graffitti expressed disappointment that the supermarket in Hal Safi which was embroiled in a huge controversy a few months ago, is now completed and started operating.

It said: “This supermarket has been built in an Outside Development Zone, as a result of which many environmental organisations expressed anger at the decision when the permit was issued. It was then established by the MEPA auditor that this permit should not have been granted and that the process was carried out in a totally irregular manner. The same board which issued this permit had to resign after it was discovered that in another case there were also gross irregularities in the issuing of a permit.

“However, unbelievably, no one lifted a finger to revoke the permit for this huge supermarket built on land near Hal Safi. Today, this supermarket is completed and started operating, with the result that a huge tract of agricultural land has been forever destroyed.”