Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg blamed the Żebbuġ council for the removal of a garden earlier on Wednesday and insisted residents built a wall "illegally" on government land.

He, however, failed to back up his claim.

Early on Wednesday morning, Żebbuġ residents watched with surprise and indignation as workers from state agency Infrastructure Malta, escorted by the police, moved in to clear a small fruit garden to widen a quiet road in a residential area. 

Both the council and the residents said they were not informed about the job at Triq il-Fraxxunu, although a notice of works was published in the Government Gazette some days ago.

Questioned about the issue, which at one point even saw independent councillor Steve Zammit Lupi sit on a fence in the path of excavators in defiance of the works, Borg pointed his finger at the council. 

Pressed to say whether there was a need to widen the road, Borg would not say but insisted the works were being carried out upon the council's request. 

When it was pointed out by Times of Malta that the application he was referring to had been withdrawn by the council years ago, Borg simply reiterated his position before starting to walk off. 

He also refuted claims that the area was a public garden saying this was actually a piece of public land taken up "illegally" by residents, insisting this had been turned into a "front garden" [parapett].

"Infrastructure Malta had all the permits it needed. The work of Infrastructure Malta is what it is and is appreciated by a lot of people," Borg said. 

Asked by Times of Malta whether there had been enforcement notices issued against the structures he claimed were illegal, Borg would not say. Instead, he said such questions should be directed to the Planning Authority.