Updated | Dalli must shoulder political responsibility on illegal works, says PN

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has rejected an application to authorize infringements in a Żejtun farmhouse owned by Pada Builders Ltd. The company is owned by Equal Opportunities Minister Helena Dalli and her husband, Patrick Dalli.

The application was refused by the EPC Board, although the case officer's original recommendation for refusal had been changed to allow a permit to be issued. Contrary to usual sittings, no debate or reason was given for the decision to refuse the recommendation to grant the permit. 

So far, there have been three postponements of the hearing. The last scheduled hearing earlier this month had been postponed because Mr Dalli was indisposed. The recommendation made by case officer was to change from a refusal of the permit to an approval to sanction development on site that occurred without a permit.

Despite a number of MEPA enforcement notices on the pre-1967 farmhouse in Ramla Road, Zejtun, works on the site have been ongoing. Jason Desira, the farmhouse’s soon to be owner, had interrupted a PN press conference to say that the Dallis had nothing to do with the works and that it was he who had deposited soil in the property.

Dalli in 2013 declared a 99% shareholding interest in her spouse’s firm PADA Builders, who were contracted to carry out the works on the property. Dalli however said she never had any commercial interest in the firm, having declared it in her assets declaration “because it fell under the Community of Acquests”.

The Nationalist Party said MEPA’s decision had confirmed the Opposition’s stance on the illegality of the works on the house, and that Joseph Muscat was “wrong to stick his neck out” for the minister.

“The Opposition put pressure so that the truth could come out since the story broke. Today’s decision confirms how correct the Opposition was in its stance... today’s decision leaves no room for Dalli but to carry political responsibility. This is the prime minister’s test to see whether his civil liberties minister will shoulder her responsibility.”