“Lawless” roads agency Infrastructure Malta is acting like rogue developers who bulldoze their way past the law, a group of environmental NGOs said on Saturday.
The green coalition called on prime minister Robert Abela to “rein in the repeated planning and environmental abuses which have become synonymous with Infrastructure Malta”.
Infrastructure Malta has on several occasions breached permit conditions tied to specific road projects and in some cases even started roadworks before a permit was issued.
Its most recent controversy concerns the Central Link road project running from Mrieħel to Rabat. Works on that project, which is partially funded by the EU, have started despite an appeal against it still pending in the courts.
“The disrespect shown to stakeholders does not befit a public entity and is more reminiscent of the tactics employed by rogue developers to present the public with a fait accompli,” the group of NGOs said on Saturday.
By repeatedly flaunting the law, the public entity was setting the expectation that others in the private sector could also act with impunity.
The NGOs listed some of the instances when Infrastructure Malta were found to have broken the law, such as when it began widening Tal-Balal rorad in San Ġwann or a traffic junction in Luqa without permits.
“The Prime Minister needs to make it clear that he will not tolerate public entities to act lawlessly in this country,” the NGOs said.
The statement was signed by Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Ramblers Association, Graffitti, Attard Residents Environmental Network (AREN) and Bicycle Advocacy Group.
Ministry leaps to agency's defence
The Infrastructure Ministry quickly made it clear that it was backing the agency, dismissing "allegations" made by NGOs and praising Infrastructure Malta for its work.
In a lengthy statement, the ministry argued that the agency had every right to begin work on the Central Link project. A court decision issued last year had made it clear that the project could go ahead, despite the appeal, the ministry said.
It also dismissed concerns that archaeological remains found during the project were being destroyed, saying the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage was involved in the project and documenting any discoveries.
"If the Superintendence asks for any remains to be preserved, the project's plans will change as happened in other projects, such as that of the Santa Luċija tunnels," the ministry said.