Marsascala mayor Mario Calleja was recently given a guided tour of the Sant Antnin recycling plant by Environment Minister George Pullicino, although other members of the local council were not informed of their mayor’s “informal” meeting with the Minister in the controversial plant.
MaltaToday is informed that the meeting took place on 14 December.
Calleja has publicly opposed the siting of the plant and is party to a number of court cases contesting MEPA’s approval of the project. He is also a member of the Kumitat Kontra l-Impjant tar-Riciklagg.
Contacted by MaltaToday, Calleja insisted that he felt no need to inform the council because his visit was “informal one” and not publicised in the media.
“It is not the first time that I walked around the plant to see what’s happening. On that occasion I also met the Minister,” Calleja told MaltaToday.
But Calleja insists that he is still against the siting of the M’Scala plant.
“I am part of the committee opposing the siting of the plant but this does not preclude me from visiting the site to see what is happening in my locality,” the mayor told MaltaToday.
Yet the mayor’s visit is set to create a stir in the Labour led local council, which was kept in the dark about it. Contacted by MaltaToday deputy mayor Owen Bonnici confirmed that he did not have any knowledge of this visit.
“I’d rather not comment on this,” Bonnici said when asked what he thought of the mayor’s visit.
Bonnici is currently representing the council in a legal battle against MEPA’s approval in the same plant.
The mayor’s visit to the plant was also news to Independent Councillor and Azzjoni Nazzjonali leader, Josie Muscat.
“This visit simply confirms our suspicion of collusion between the PN and the MLP on the siting of the plant,” Muscat told MaltaToday.
The modernised recycling plant was approved by MEPA last year and has started operations this week.
The local council has appealed against this decision to the Planning Appeal’s board chaired by former Nationalist candidate Ian Spiteri Bailey.
The approval of the plant was also the subject of a report by MEPA auditor Joe Falzon. The auditor was not allowed to publish his findings after ombudsman Joseph Said Pullicino accepted MEPA’s claim that the publication of the report could prejudice proceeding in the appeal’s board.
Recently MEPA had also objected to Falzon giving his testimony in court.
In August 2007 the European Commission decreed that European Union laws were not violated when the approval for the upgrade at Sant’ Antnin recycling plant in Marsascala was granted.
In an interview published in this issue of MaltaToday Minister George Pullicino confirmed that the government intends to develop two new recycling plants in Gozo and the north of Malta, thus allaying fears that the M’Scala plant will eventually process all the waste produced in the country.
But the Minister would not reveal the location of the new plants.
“We also want people to see how the Sant Antnin plant is operating. This will help them overcome the fear of the unknown. We have to take decisions in the right time.”

jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt