Updated at 2.20pm with PL statement 

The Environment and Resources Authority chairman's position is untenable following his vote in favour of the Central Link project, the Nationalist Party said on Tuesday.

The party pointed out that he had voted in favour of the controversial project in spite of opposition of the PN, residents and environmental groups.

Approved last Thursday, the road works project will add two lanes of traffic to a thoroughfare between Mrieħel and Rabat. A group of NGOs and residents is currently trying to crowdfund €20,000 to pay for a last ditch attempt to stop it – including by a legal challenge.

Developing the new carriageways will take up 50,000 square metres of agricultural land and open space, and will see some 500 trees sacrificed – an aspect that has spurred a protest group to be set up which will stage an awareness demonstration on Sunday.

The PN said that the decades-old trees were an intrinsic part of the landscape of the year, giving this part of Malta its unique character.

It lamented that the chairman, Victor Axiaq, had not defended the environmental interests and instead kept silent throughout the hours-long meeting at the Planning Authority.

“His action shows the extent to which he is toeing the government’s line,” party spokesman Jason Azzopardi said.

'A party with no credibility' - PL

The Labour Party reacted by saying that the PN was acting despotically. 

"You either agree with them, or else it's off with your head," they said in a statement.

The PL said that while the PN was happy to quote from ERA reports when they suited its purposes, now that Prof. Axiak disagreed with them over the Central Link, they wanted him out. 

Central Link project plans approved last week were different to those proposed by a previous PN administration "and also more environmentally fair", the PL said.