Former investigative officer at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority Carmel Cacopardo, yesterday filed an judicial letter in court claiming that the authority did not want to renew his contract because he had exposed a number of deficiencies at the authority.

In his judicial letter, Mr Cacopardo claims that his contract was not being renewed not because of the reasons said in public in recent days but because of other reasons. He said that during his term within the Mepa audit office, he never scrupled about listing deficiencies within Mepa.

Another reason, he said, was that in a report on the erection of a tent in Ta Qali, he passed remarks on a number of shortcomings of Mepa chairman Andrew Calleja, who could have never held a private meeting with the developers of the said project.

The third and final reason why he believes he was being sidelined is because he never felt scrupled to pass remarks on how Mepa operates and on Minister George Pullicino, under whose jurisdiction the authority falls.

Mr Cacopardo, in his judicial protest, claimed that Mepa’s actions in his regard were discriminatory and breached his fundamental right of expression.

He explained that he has been an investigative officer within the Mepa audit office for the last three years and during his term, always carried out his duties to the best of his abilities, honestly and professionally.

He called on the authority to stop making unfounded allegations about him and to extend his term of office immediately. Otherwise, he said, he will take ulterior legal action against them without notice.

The judicial protest was filed against Mepa chairman Andre Calleja, the Permanent Secretary within the Environment and Rural Affairs Ministry, Environment Minister George Pullicino and the Attorney General. Dr Toni Abela signed the writ.