Minister for Transport Ian Borg has said that he is looking forward to discussing the Marsascala marina project plans with the local community. 

Borg was asked by The Malta Independent whether there had been any updates to the process which would see a massive yacht marina built in Marsascala Bay, particularly as opposition to the project has persisted. 

The Minister said that he has a meeting scheduled on Wednesday with the locality’s mayor together with the Marsascala local council “to continue improving the plans” for ther marina. 

When asked on updates regarding the progress for the request for proposals of the marina project, he said that Transport Malta is handling it and that he has taken note of the case of the Marsascala waterpolo pitch, where the court cancelled a permit granted for it by the PA in December. 

Four bids have been submitted for the project: two by Maltese companies, one by a Turkish-Italian joint venture, and another Italian joint venture. 

The Malta Independent on Sunday had reveled that the proposed yacht marina concession could have a value of around €183 million across 50 years.

With opposition to the project still everpresent, Marsascala residents sent a letter to the European Parliament and the European Commission last week asking for an inquiry on whether the planned Yacht Marina in Marsaskala Bay is in breach of several EU regulations aimed at combating pollution and protecting marine life. 

During the press conference, Borg also gave an update on the residential roads infrastructure commitment. 

Answering questions by the media regarding this project, Borg said that there are projects where electrical wires are being done underground, especially when it's in the middle of a locality. 

Referring to such a process as a difficult one, he said that although such wires can be placed underground other problems may emerge, such as private residence owners not wanting the electricity boxes in front of their house. 

Present for the conference was also Infrastructure Malta CEO Frederick Azzopardi who answered questions by the media regarding remedy works on the Mellieha bypass, saying that one side of the road has already been fixed.

He said that the roads agency is collaborating with the Water Services Corporation as they need to pass a main regarding the other side. It added that the same situation is currently happening in the Ghadira road works as it is the same water main and they want the works to be done simultaneously.