The Nationalist Party, in a statement refering to the news from Infrastructure Malta that one of four consortia has been shortlisted for the permanent link project between Malta and Gozo, said that it is “the duty of Infrastructure Malta to publish all the details submitted by this consortium.”

“Infrastructure Malta should also provide full details on what led to the elimination of the other three consortia that submitted their interest at this preliminary stage,” said PN Spokesperson for Gozo Chris Said and Toni Bezzina the PN Spokesperson for Transport and Infrastructure.

A consortium of five companies has been shortlised as the bidder, which comprises of – Equitix of the UK, Itochu from Japan, two companies from Turkey; Yapi Merkezi and Makyol, and Egis of France.

They stressed that the public has a right to know what kind of permanent link is being proposed by this consortium.

“This together with other important details such as how it proposes to finance the project and whether the necessary studies on the environmental, social and economic impacts have been carried out by experts in all related fields and if so, what was their outcome,” they added.

They stated that, “it is clear that there are many important studies that have not been done and those that have been done have not been taken seriously. This cannot be acceptable when considering a project of this magnitude.”

The Nationalist Party also argued that those studies carried out should be published and explained to the public in such a way that the results of these studies are shown with: both positive and negative effects. “Above all, a wide-ranging consultation on this project should also take place, which should ultimately lead to a referendum, which is the best consultation tool,” the statement said.

The PN concluded by stating that, “in the absence of the Government failing to carry out, publish, explain and consult in detail these studies, it will be abdicating its responsibility to the people. The fact that it intends to keep rolling over everyone can never be accepted.”

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