Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg has defended expropriation practices employed when new roads are being constructed, or existing ones are being widened.

It has been reported that Infrastructure Malta would, on occasion, start works on private land prior to the expropriation of the land having concluded. Moviment Graffitti has even called for a full-scale investigation into the expropriation practices.

The Malta Independent asked Minister Ian Borg about this practice. The minister said he is informed that Infrastructure Malta, wherever the Lands Authority expropriation process was not yet complete, always had an agreement with the respective owners where such works take place.

"If third parties who have nothing to do with that agreement between a government entity and a land owner don't like that bilateral agreement, that is not something I will comment on. But I am informed that whenever IM began works, it either had the completed expropriation or an agreement with the owners. As for this latter option, I understand that this is a way you can speed things up, as there are processes that take an amount of time, and so if there is agreement between the agency and the owners, then why not. No law would be being broken.”

If there are cases where the law was broken, then one has to do what the law allows and there are measures people can take, he said.

This newsroom questioned what would happen if Infrastructure Malta has an agreement with an owner of a piece of land, but the Lands Authority does not agree with what the agency offered.

Video: Miguela Xuereb/Newsbook

"Infrastructure Malta always starts work on private land for road works either if the Lands Authority process is complete or if it has an agreement with the owners until the Lands Authority process concludes," the minister stressed.

The minister said that he understands that the Lands Authority is the authority that decides on the agreement amount and not Infrastructure Malta. 

“Based on that price until the declaration is made in the Government Gazette and the appeals period passes, Infrastructure Malta signs a notarial agreement with the parties where the parties agree that this is the amount they are to take.”

The minister said that many a time, the people complaining to journalists or NGOs would be complaining up to the day they know the amount they are to receive. “The day they know how much they are to take and sign, they might not even communicate anymore as they would be content taking the price of the land.”

He said that the perception that the government or Infrastructure Malta just barge in and take land without paying is not the case. "It is not the case and there are various remedies one can take."