Updated | Franco Debono files motion to stop Delimara from running on heavy fuel oil

Updated with finance minister's statement at 5pm

Nationalist MP Franco Debono has tabled a motion in parliament that calls for the cessation of the use of heavy fuel oil firing the Delimara power station extension's turbines.

The motion, filed earlier in the day, also demands that the national energy corporation's petroleum operation in Birzebbugia, the 31 March 1979 depot, is closed down.

The motion states that the use of heavy fuel oil for the Delimara extension was "unacceptable" as well as "detrimental and of serious threat" to the health of residents in the Birzebbugia, Marsaxlokk, Zejtun, Marsaskala and neighbouring localities.

The motion calls on the House of Representatives to approve that the petroleum operation formerly known as the Shell depot, is removed at once, while the use of HFO in Delimara is instantly stopped. "Substantial measures must be taken to stop any development in the area that is not in conformity with EU directives."

Debono's motion comes at a time of general political lull as the prime minister is currently on vacation, but the call to stop the Delimara power station from running on heavy fuel oil strikes right at the heart of the government's current policy on energy. Lawrence Gonzi will be addressing a political meeting in Birzebbugia, one of the localities affected by the Delimara power station, on Sunday at 11am.

The decision by Enemalta to run the Delimara extension on HFO was the subject of years of political dueling between government and Opposition. Today a MEPA monitoring committee that includes representatives from local councils from the south of the island is charged with evaluating the way air quality has been affected by the Delimara extension.

Debono's motion comes a day after the Office of the Prime Minister denied that the government had attempted to stop the Gudja MP from voting in favour of an Opposition motion, by offering him a number of concessions amongst them the perks of a junior minister

In a statement, finance minister Tonio Fenech said the government had already committed itself to convert the Delimara power station to a gas-fired engine, and that this had not been resorted to in the first place due to its prohibitive cost.

"With the financing from the European Commission on the pipeline connected to the European gas network, this will be considered," Fenech said, who also said the Marsa power station will be closed down once the electricity interconnector to Sicily is completed.

Referring to the '31 March 1979' petroleum depot, Fenech said privatisation talks for this division of Enemalta's operations were underway, and that the depot was scheduled for closure and relocation once the competitive process is completed. "The same will happen as in the case of the transfer of the Qajjenza gas division to the new and secure Benghajsa gas bottling plant," Fenech said.

The finance minister, who took over stewardship of energy policy over from infrastructure and transport minister Austin Gatt, said the Delimara power station extension had the best European environmental standards. "Running the extension using gasoil would have meant an extra €37 million cost that would have been reflected in an increase in energy tariffs," Fenech said.

The MP has also written in his personal blog that he will consider filing another motion of no-confidence in the environment minister in "whoever was responsible for denying trappers the enjoyment of their hobby in a sustainable and regulated manner... I have been a bird enthusiast and bird breeder all my life so I have quite a good idea of the subject. I can safely say the people who have been deciding about hunting and trapping have absolutely no clue what they are talking about, starting from Richard Cachia Caruana."

The government is currently considering a limited trapping period for the autumn, something that is expected to raise eyebrows inside the European Commission.

Debono has claimed that the Prime Minister was 'lying' and that he was in possession of a document that proves the concessions he was offered not to vote in favour of the motion that prompted the resignation of minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici. "The Prime Minister is lying. He is liar. I have a document that proves what I said," Debono said, adding that he was challenging the Prime Minister to face him "in front of everyone".

When asked whether he could provide MaltaToday with a copy of the alleged document, Debono however was not forthcoming. "I will give it to whomever I decide to give it."

Nationalist MP Franco Debono has claimed he was promised a chauffeur-driven car, a staff of four lawyers and taking control of the Law Commission by falling under the parliamentary committee for the re-codification of laws which he chairs, in return for his vote against the Opposition motion censuring the former justice minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici.

"They offered me the post of parliamentary secretary by another name. But what they couldn't understand was that my actions were nothing personal against Mifsud Bonnici," Debono told MaltaToday.

"I repeatedly told the Prime Minister that he could give Mifsud Bonnici any ministerial post he wanted: but my problem was with him being responsible of justice and home affairs."

Whilst he refused to divulge the name - or names - of the mediator involved in the negotiations, Debono insisted that his issue had always been with guaranteeing accountability and for responsibility to be shouldered by the minister. MaltaToday had already reported on the meetings with senior PN figures before the crucial no-confidence motion that saw Debono vote with the Opposition.