Prime Minister Robert Abela has reaffirmed the government's commitment to the current development plans for Manoel Island, emphasising that 60% of the island will remain accessible to the public.

His statement comes in response to a petition titled "Manoel Island Post Għalina (A Place for Us)," which garnered over 29,000 signatures advocating for the island's transformation into a national park and the cessation of commercial and residential developments.

The petition urged the government and developers MIDI to drop plans for commercial and residential units and return the island to the public, turning it into a national park.

Speaking on Monday, after government finally signed a new collective agreement for MCAST, Abela said that the existing agreement with developers MIDI ensures that a significant portion of the island remains open space for public use.

He criticised the ongoing narrative as "selective," noting that the revised masterplan by MIDI focuses on heritage preservation and significantly reduces the development footprint.

The plan includes an 80,000-square-metre glacis park surrounding Fort Manoel, extending to the sea on the island’s north and east sides.

Environment Minister Miriam Dalli also echoed Abela's sentiments on Monday, saying that the government's hands are tied due to contractual obligations.

Abela further explained that reclaiming Manoel Island would entail substantial financial implications, potentially costing "hundreds of millions," and questioned the responsibility of using public funds for such an endeavour.

The concession for Manoel Island and Tigné Point was awarded to MIDI in June 2000, with the original development deadline expiring in March 2023.

Despite calls from campaigners to reclaim the land, Abela said that the contract was established under a previous administration and that reversing it was never part of Labour's electoral platform.

In addressing environmental concerns, Abela pointed to the government's broader initiatives, including the rollout of 19 new projects this year under Project Green.

He mentioned the transformation of sites in Luqa, Kirkop, Lija, and St Julian’s into parks, aiming to balance quality investments with public accessibility to green spaces.

Abela spoke of the importance of balancing environmental access with economic growth, ensuring that developments like Manoel Island provide both heritage preservation and public enjoyment and accessibility.