May 18, 2021

In terms of Article 22(4) of the Ombudsman Act, the Ombudsman Mr Anthony C. Mifsud and the Commissioner for Environment and Planning, Perit Alan Saliba, have sent to the House of Representatives the Final Opinion on works carried out by the Government in Comino.

In his Final Opinion the Commissioner for Environment and Planning concluded that the works conducted between February and March 2021 breached the Development and Planning Act (Chapter 552 of the Laws on Malta).

The Commissioner recommended that the site in question should be returned to the state it was in before the works were carried out and that the PA should impose fines that would be placed in a fund for Comino’s environment.

The Planning Authority did not accept the recommendations made by the Commissioner and therefore the Ombudsman and the Commissioner for Environment and Planning brought the case to the Prime Minister’s attention. Since no action has been taken, the Ombudsman and the Commissioner sent the report to the House of Representatives.

Documents: 

1. Final Opinion by the Commissioner for Environment and Planning – April 2021 (MT)
2. Reaction of the Planning Authority – April 2021 (MT)
3. Reply of the Commissioner for Environment and Planning to the reaction of the Planning Authority – May 2021 (MT)
4. Letter to Prime Minister – May 2021 (MT)
5. Letter to Speaker of Parliament – May 2021 (MT)