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Updated | PN says interconnector cable route issue ‘resolved in February’
PN says interconnector cable route ‘resolved in February’, ministry rebuts by accusing PN administration of 'hiding problems'
29 March 2013, 12:00am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
2 min read
The Nationalist Party has denied that its administration had left any unresolved problems with regards to the issuing of permits for the Malta-Sicily interconnector.
However in a reaction statement, the Energy and Water Conservation Ministry stuck to its claim, and insisted that the PN administration had underestimated certain expenses which prompted the PL administration to undertake a review process regarding the whole project.
"The lack of honest of that selfsame administration led to a situation where the expenditure and the timeframe of the project will be subjected to a review process. It has already resulted that the estimates of how much this project would cost are already off the mark by up to €26 million euros."
"The government also wishes to remind that the environmental compensation as was agreed by the preceding government between Enemalta, and the Province of Ragusa and the Ragusa Council, stand at €500,000 and €600,00 respectively."
The government today announced that Rome had issued the permit, but only after the Labour government and Italy worked out a new route. The original route saw the cable passing through oil exploration territory owned by an Italian company.
But in a statement, the PN later said there were no "unresolved problems left by the previous administration".
"The cable root issue was resolved by late February after an Enemalta technical team visited the Ministry in Rome, as can be evidenced by the Corporation's Board minutes in late February," the party said.
It welcomed the formal issuance of the permit but accused the government of giving a "false impression".
"The Italian Ministry of Economic Affairs had given the final go-ahead for the electricity interconnector between Sicily and Malta in January," the PN said.
"This could only happen after the then Finance Minister Tonio Fenech and senior Enemalta officials carried out several meetings to convince the Ragusa Council to drop its objections to the project, which Council had however requested €600,000 from Malta in compensation for the environmental impact of the project."
The Corporation has agreed to pay the requested sum and made this public.
The interconnector, the PN said, is expected to be commissioned in March next year.
"We look forward to the timely completion of this project," the PN added.
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Tghid ilqalba ghal gass huma ukoll i[[re[araw ghalia. Dawn futur fis sod ghanke ghan nies li jaghmdu maghhom fil-kwartieri taghhom ghamlulhom futur fis-sod/ Issa ihallaskom wistinu mil-kont li ghandu l-isvizzera, ghaliex dawn qalbhom mal-haddiem
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Contrary to what PN says the issue has been resolved now, by PL in government. I believe what Konrad Mizzi had to say on the matter.
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So the PN still persists in spewing lies even after the trash they received at the polls. They would be still lying further when they state that "We look forward to the timely completion of this project."
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One asks: If the cable issue was resolved by late February, why was not the permit by Rome issued by the first week of March? And one other question: The previous administration made public that €600,000 has to be paid to the Ragusa Council, why did the administration fail to make public as well that a further €500,000 must be paid to the Province of Ragusa?
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Tonio Fenech and his team lied so blatantly during the election campaign that whatever they say now is not even worth the dust that settles on paper. They have cried wolf too many times, and now no one believes them. On the other hand the present Government has always been serious and credible and that is what is required for Malta. The final statement by the PN is just hogwash to make sure that they have rope to criticise the Government on shortcomings that they created.
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NEMMNUHOM ?
Lanqas jghadili mill garigori ta' mohhi li nasal biex nemmen tal-PN!
U min huma il-PN illum , heem xi isem ma stqarrija bhal din?
Xi had mill ex-PN jiehu responsabilita bhal din..... forsi Toni ta' l'Arlogg jew il-Kap Uscenti?
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"Timely"! These bods do not even know the basic meaning of the word!
