In a judicial protest filed yesterday, Mr Camilleri and Mr Farrugia explained that S. Philip Pullicino Street in Mtarfa had literally given way. This resulted in deep cracks in the road that posed a danger to anyone using the road or to those who have property below it.

Mepa is responsible for the maintenance of the roads in the locality and the council filed an application for the road to be repaired on 29 April. The delay in processing this application was exaggerated, said the mayor and the executive secretary, and were not justified by the internal consultations being carried out.

Since the road had not been repaired, the police had filed criminal charges against Mr Camilleri and Mr Farrugia for failing to repair the dangerous road. As a result, they may face fines or worse, even though they had done their best by filing the application with Mepa to get the road mended.

The exaggerated delay by Mepa has caused danger, to the detriment of Mr Camilleri and Mr Farrugia, the protest claimed, since they are now facing criminal charges.

The mayor and the executive secretary have therefore demanded that Mepa issue the permits necessary for the roadworks to be carried out as soon as possible and they are holding the organisation responsible for any damages they suffer.

The protest was filed by Dr Malcolm Mifsud in the first hall of Civil Court.