The European Commission has given the government one month’s time in which to close down the St Luke’s Hospital incinerator, proving that the incinerator was not being operated according to EU rules and that the government had been dragging its feet over many years, the Labour Party said yesterday.

The EC ultimatum to the government followed persistent reports made by Labour MEP Joseph Muscat at the request of Pietà, Msida and Hamrun local councils. The EC had initially ruled it was not competent on the subject but Joseph Muscat’s office had drawn attention to a change of an EC directive and argued that the EC was in duty bound to interfere. Brussels accepted the argument and opened a case against the Nationalist government, the MLP said.

It added that Mr Muscat had expressed satisfaction at the ultimatum, and pointed out that Labour leader Alfred Sant had long ago promised that a Labour government would close down the hospital incinerator.

On the other hand, it added, the abattoir incinerator which was now going to be used, was burdened with doubts about how it was purchased. A Finance Ministry document cast doubts about decisions taken about it and the Maltese authorities were saying that the abattoir incinerator would be in conformity with EU regulations.