Back in 2015, the government – headed by the Prime Minister at the time Joseph Muscat – announced the American University of Malta deal, in what was perhaps one of the most environmentally controversial agreements of the Muscat administration.

The deal had resulted in protests and environmentalists speaking out, arguing that the area should not be developed.

The AUM became the subject of controversy, and eventually opened a campus in Cospicua, with the government pledging that no Zonqor land would be built up until that campus reaches the stipulated 4,000 student target by 2025.

Fast forward to February 2022, and now the government is, finally, making a u-turn over the Zonqor land deal. Prime Minister Robert Abela this week announced that a stretch of undeveloped land at Żonqor Point which was handed over to the university as part of a deal will be returned to the government.

One must note that the PN has long been against the Zonqor deal, and PN Leader Bernard Grech had pledged that, if elected, he would take back the land.

The government will also be taking back land between the current premises of the university in Cospicua and Senglea, which was to be used as a student dormitory. It has also been said that AUM will be given another site at Smart City to expand its campus instead.

Abela, when speaking to journalists, still held that the university project is a good one and that the government does not want to scrap it. Abela said that when the deal was signed, the main priority was to boost the country’s economy. “Today, we have a different reality where the economy is strong despite the pandemic, and we also heard what the people were telling us. We might have sacrificed a bit on the environment when prioritising the economy in the past, but we have listened to the people and, in line with our vision, we want the environment to be a top priority.”

The Prime Minister’s announcement, however welcome, also brings with it many questions. Abela was asked by the press whether Sadeen will be compensated, whether the government would be forking out any money to the company, among other things.  “In the coming hours I will be presenting the draft agreement before Cabinet and whatever is approved will be tabled in Parliament for scrutiny. Everything we do will be made public. There will be no side agreements. We believe in the principle of transparency. This is our duty.”

One must await for this new agreement to be made public before one can comment on it specifically. It is good that Abela said that the government will be transparent on the renegotiation of the AUM concession and there will be no “side deals.” He said that the deal will go before Parliament.

The timing of this announcement by the Prime Minister, however, is quite questionable, given that he made it at a time when he is personally under fire over a property deal . Could it have been done to try and deviate attention? It is also curious that this announcement was made as the Marsascala marina controversy again reared its head – a proposal which the residents of the locality have already expressed their views against.