Alternattiva Demokratika has called on Simon Busuttil to disassociate himself from the 2003 agreement between the Nationalist Party and Armier boathouse owners.

The call comes in the wake of the PN leader’s declaration that he was willing to support the government in putting a stop to illegalities at Armier.

Squatters usurped public land to develop illegal boathouses in what has become a veritable shanty town in the Armier area.

The problem goes back decades and successive governments failed to reclaim public land despite acknowledging the massive illegalities on the site.

AD deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo said his party had, for years, campaigned against the boathouses and was delighted the PN was now resolute it could not support the illegalities any longer. It was a pity it took the PN 25 years to convince itself on the matter, he added.

“It would be much better if [Simon] Busuttil were to disassociate himself from the agreement signed by the PN prior to the 2003 general election with the squatters…

"We must remember that it was this agreement that paved the way for arrangements to hand over 26 hectares of public land at L-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa to the company Armier Developments Limited for a period of 65 years against an annual payment of €366,000 in order that new boathouses are developed,” Mr Cacopardo said.