It has now been confirmed that in order for Jason Micallef to cover Ta' Qali with gravel, more than €300,000 of public funds were spent, while no permit had been issued for the works to be carried out, the Nationalist Party said Thursday. No public call for tenders was made; instead a direct order was awarded to a contractor who is very close to Prime Minister Robert Abela.

Despite all this, the Maltese public is still waiting for the grass in the Ta' Qali picnic area to grow back, even though the former Labour Party Secretary General and Special Delegate of Robert Abela assured everyone that the first rainfall would restore a natural green surface for families to enjoy, the PN said.

"We have now also learned that these works were illegal: no public procurement process was issued, and no permits were granted by the authorities for the dumping of gravel on site," the party said. The gravel, according to information tabled in Parliament, was imported from Greece. No environmental impact study was carried out either, apart from the fact that the required permits were not obtained.

Meanwhile, the area remains in the same state, with the only patches of green appearing under the trees and in the pathways where gravel was not dumped. This, despite the fact that Jason Micallef - who is responsible for the management of the Ta' Qali National Park - reportedly sent water bowsers under the cover of night to soak the gravel in the hope that grass would somehow grow back, the PN said.

The PN once again appeals for common sense: this illegal gravel, which cost over €300,000, must be removed immediately, and the site should be restored to its original state so that Maltese families can once again enjoy this open space as they deserve.