Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo said that a report from the Brussels correspondent of The Times, Ivan Camilleri, created serious doubts regarding the investigation into the illegal extension of planning boundaries in July.
“The statements made by Alternattiva Demokratika regarding the issue have been based on inform-ation obtained from the representative of the EU Commission in Malta, Dr Joanna Drake, as well as from direct and indirect communications with the official spokesperson of DG Environment in Brussels, Mr Lone Mikkelsen,” said Dr Vassallo.
“The report made by Ivan Camilleri gives the impression that the Commission is not dealing with the matter with any degree of seriousness,” he said.
“The Commission cannot fail to take seriously the direct challenge made to it by Minister George Pullicino in turning the SEA Audit Team into a mere rubber stamp,” Dr Vassallo added.
“The matter has been under investigation by the Commission since July and the DG environment spokesman Lone Mikkelsen stated clearly in an email dated 19 September: ‘On the basis of complaints we have received we are finalising our investigation’. In the circumstances, it is legitimate for anyone, including the Green Party, to expect results shortly,” he said.
“Enquiries to the representative of the EU Commission in Malta received the prompt reply that: ‘As you know, there have been two actions taken against Malta in recent months relating to environmental matters. One relates to the letter of formal notice sent to the Maltese Government in connection with its alleged non-compliance with the EIA directive (please see the Brussels Press Release pasted below), and the other relates to an investigation initiated by the Commission regarding Malta’s compliance or otherwise with the SEA directive, as reported in The Times of the 26/7/06. In the latter article, a spokesman for the Environment Commissioner is quoted.’ This is also the basis on which a response from Brussels is expected shortly” said Dr Vassallo.
The quote mentioned by Dr Drake refers to a report published in The Times on 26 July, which claims that a spokesman for DG Environment “insisted with The Times that the rationalisation proposal, if approved, is likely to be in breach of the directive, which requires that any significant environmental effects of certain projects of ‘plans or programmes’ are assessed and taken into account before a plan/project is adopted.” Dr Vassallo said.
“The information provided to the Maltese public in today’s report appears to be in direct contradiction of all the information received so far from Brussels,” he said.
“Since this a very serious matter, affecting thousands of Maltese families, it is not acceptable that such doubts be allowed to stand, and I will seek to have meetings with the persons responsible during my visit to Brussels this week,” Dr Vassallo said.