Momentum has filed two fresh Freedom of Information (FOI) requests in an ongoing bid to obtain further details about the controversial procurement of gravel laid at Ta' Qali national park, which was revealed to have cost €311,141.80.

In a statement, the party said that the latest FOI request, submitted on Friday 19 December to the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, follows an earlier request filed with the Ministry for Finance on 12 December.

Both requests are follow-ups to an original FOI which showed that €311,141.80 was spent on gravel procured through a direct order.

The new request was filed by Leader of Momentum Arnold Cassola and seeks clarification on how and by whom the decision to issue the direct order was taken.

In his request to the Transport Ministry, Cassola asked for the identity of the park management committee that approved the direct order for the gravel, as well as the minutes of the meeting where the approval was given, or any other documentation related to the authorisation of the direct order.

He also requested information on any other works being carried out in or around the park by Bonnici Bros Ltd, the company awarded the direct order.

Cassola further asked for copies of any consultations held with entities or consultants regarding the necessity of laying the gravel at Ta' Qali.

He said that where such studies or meetings did not take place, he requested an official confirmation that they do not exist.

The request also calls on the Ministry to transfer the application to any other competent authority should parts of the information be held elsewhere, as stipulated by Article 8 of the Freedom of Information Act.

In early December, Momentum revealed the results of a FOI request showing that over €311,000 was spent on gravel laid at the Ta' Qali park.

The procurement was carried out as a direct order to Bonnici Bros Ltd rather than through a public tender, justified under procurement rule PPN 321b2 on the basis that the company was "already carrying out works within the same area."

The gravel was also imported from Greece, and no environmental permits were obtained, and no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was carried out for the works, despite the gravel covering an estimated 30,000 m² and involving around 5,000 tonnes of non-native rock mixture to Maltese soil.

The gravel controversy began after the summer months, amid public complaints about the loss of grass and the appearance of the picnic area.