Former Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer has hit out at government plans to bring about a change in local plans to allow a massive development on the site of Villa Rosa in St Julian's.

The plans were approved by cabinet on Tuesday, Times of Malta revealed. 

"So local plans can be changed after all?" Engerer asked sarcastically in a Facebook post. "Yes of course, to make somebody happy at the expense of the environment and our health."

At the same time, he noted, ministers had boasted (on Monday) that Malta was the first in Europe to set up a Climate Action Authority.

Engerer said the obvious message that emerged from the story was that one could not speak out, as everything would have been arranged beforehand.

"And obviously, if you speak out and push for what is right, you get punished."

"As I have always said, it is the law on political party funding which needs to be changed if the environment is to ever be given a chance," he said. 

Engerer served as a Labour MEP until earlier this year, when he decided not to recontest the election and became openly critical of the party, saying he felt politically "orphaned".