[WATCH] Gozo residents protest outside Curia: ‘Archbishop must reverse decision’

Residents from Nadur and Qala protested outside the Archbishop’s Curia in Floriana, over a spectacular land grab they accuse the Archbishop of enabling.

Dozens of Gozitans demanded that the Archbishop reverses a decision to hand over control of a medieval foundation to the people claiming ownership of the lands, and their business partners.

“These speculators are threatening many residents in Qala and Nadur with eviction, increasing the leases of farmers and building monstrous projects that are ruining Gozo’s landscape and natural environment,” Moviment Graffitti said.

GOZO LAND GRAB

• Church ‘released’ Gozo land tipped for cruise port for just €200,000
• State had no claim to register contested Qala lands, Joint Office says
• As Qala lands move out of Church control, farmers receive notice of hiked rents
• Gozo land grab: Church took €200,000 ‘short-cut’ without verifying heirs’ claims
• Church justifies decision on Gozo land: heirs’ claims never challenged in court
• Archbishop claims he was not aware of development plans for Qala land
• Gozo: State delisted Abbazia property on Church’s request ‘no questions asked’

Residents asked Archbishop Charles Scicluna to dismiss Patrick Valentino from rector, or controller, of the Abbazia di Sant Antonio delli Navarra – the foundation holding the lands – initiate legal action to annul the transfer of Abbazia’s land to private companies, as well as seek legal remedies to cancel the 2017 agreement with speculators.

Valentino represents the interests of the Stagno Navarra family, who claim lineage to the noblewoman who founded the Abbazia, and their business partners: former magistrate Dennis Montebello and his family company Carrac, and lawyer Carmelo Galea.

“Their predicament is a result of Archbishop Scicluna’s decision in 2017 to appoint Patrick Valentino as rector of the Abbazia, acceding to the wishes of powerful businessmen and other influential figures who had been trying to take over swathes of land in Gozo for two decades and a half,” a Graffitti spokesperson said.

The Abbazia was founded by noblewoman Cosmana Navarra in the 17th century, placing land she owned under control of the foundation and giving power to the Archbishop to appoint a rector who administers these lands for the benefit of the foundation. The rector has to be a male descendant of Cosmana’s nephew Federico or, in his absence, a priest.

In 1992, the late Richard Stagno Navarra claimed descent from Cosmana Navarra and demanded rectorship of the Abbazia. At the time, the Archbishop’s Curia refused, and in 2013 won a court battle that confirmed the Archbishop’s right to appoint the rector.

But in 2017, Archbishop Charles Scicluna accepted the Stagno Navarras’ claims and appointed a rector of their choice, lawyer Patrick Valentino. The new rector immediately started transferring land to companies owned by the Stagno Navarras, Galea and Montebello and his children, one of who is Valentino’s partner.

“Shockingly, Archbishop Scicluna recently admitted in Court that he never verified the Stagno Navarras’ claims of descent from Cosmana Navarra,” Graffitti said.

“Archbishop Scicluna’s decision to hand over control of the foundation to ruthless and powerful figures opened the floodgates to threats against Gozitan residents and monstrous development projects.”

The Abbazia has claimed lands where many families in Qala and Nadur have lived for generations, challenging the legal title held by these families and registering lands in the Abbazia’s name on the basis of medieval documents with poorly-defined maps. These registrations were quickly approved by the Land Registry in Gozo.

“Families in Qala and Nadur are now being hounded for large sums of money by the Abbazia and other companies owned by the same group of people, placing them under immense pressure and stress for the past four years as well as leaving them with a pervasive feeling of injustice,” Graffitti said.

“Apart from residents, farmers tilling land claimed by the Abbazia are also being asked for ridiculous increases in the price of their leases, with some starting to let go of the land they have cultivated for generations.”

Undeveloped land claimed by the Abbazia was given to developers for monstrous projects: Joseph Portelli is currently building a massive complex in Ta’ Kassja consisting of hundreds of apartments engulfing the locality of Qala; Titan Developments is applying for another apartment block on agricultural land in Nadur.

Hundreds of people have objected to the project. The Planning Commission is scheduled to decide on the Nadur project on Wednesday 15 December.