Malta: Joseph Muscat denies conflict of interest at appeals tribunal

Joseph Muscat has denied that a conflict of interest existed on the tribunal hearing appeals against the planning authority when it was chaired by his appointee, an employee of the same authority.

The then prime minister had handpicked Martin Saliba for the role of Environment and Planning Review Tribunal chairman in 2013 and re-appointed him in 2017.

Saliba was made executive chairman of the PA in November 2019, during the last few weeks of Muscat’s tenure.

The NGOs have hinted at plans to challenge some of the tribunal’s major decisions, such as the greenlighting of the Central Link project and the Quad Towers development in Mrieħel.

Source: Times of Malta

Updated 16:20