Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1351534
7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 17 MARCH 2021 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The council says its plan will prevent traffic congestion and will not require the take-up of agricultural land. The Qormi council commissioned the architecture firm DAAA Haus to come up with an alternative to plans announced by Infrastructure Malta in December. The roads agency had outlined pro- posals to upgrade the junction leading to the Central Business District by cre- ating a flyover with a roundabout be- neath it and slip roads. Farmers in the area, supported by Graffitti activists, opposed the IM plans, which would take up large tracts of agricultural land. Opposition al- so came from the Qormi council and other prominent individuals, including former prime minister Alfred Sant and former president Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. The fresh plans presented by the ar- chitectural firm were approved unani- mously by the Qormi council and were presented to Infrastructure Malta and Transport Minister Ian Borg for con- sideration. The surface road in the council plans will have one lane either way with a top speed set at 30km/h. It also incorpo- rates parking spaces in the design and a segregated bicycle lane. The tunnel road will have two lanes in each carriageway and a two-way emer- gency lane in the middle. Qormi mayor Josef Masini Vento said the alternative plans were drawn up following a meeting between the coun- cil and Borg. He said the alternative plans will not only reduce pollution in the area, but also increase surrounding property val- ues due to the upper-level green area. "We will continue to work and insist for the alternative project to be imple- mented for the benefit of everyone," he said. Questioned on Malta Today's online programme Reno Bugeja Jistaqsi, Borg played up the need for the project by saying an extension permit of an "im- portant factory" was still pending due to inadequate access to the business district. Drinks company Farsons had denied its projects in the area were tied to the flyover proposed by Infrastructure Malta. The surface road in the council plans will have one lane either way with a top speed set at 30km/h Proposed Mriehel plan will not take up any agricultural land A tunnel entrance would be situated close to the existing flyover near Joinwell MATTHEW AGIUS LABOUR MP Rosianne Cutajar has denied al- legations of having pocketed a brokerage fee from a property transaction involving Yorgen Fenech. The former parliamentary secretary filed a counter reply in court on Tuesday, replying to allegations made in a judicial letter that was filed last week. Cutajar also denied having already refund- ed €2,000 of the global amount, insisting she was holding the person making the allega- tions liable for damage to her political ca- reer. Cutajar resigned from parliamentary sec- retary pending an ethics probe by Standards Commissioner George Hyzler. Mdina property owner, Joseph Camill- eri, the beneficial owner of Green Eyes Ltd, claimed in a judicial letter that he had al- ready paid cash in a promise of sale agree- ment signed on 14 May 2019, on condi- tion that neither Cutajar nor her associate Charles Farrugia were to take the brokerage fee until the final deed of sale is signed. The deal fell through when Fenech was arrested for complicity in Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder. MaltaToday had revealed last year that Cutajar and Farrugia acted as brokers in a €3.1 million property deal in favour of Yor- gen Fenech. When the promise of sale lapsed in No- vember 2019 and the sale was cancelled, nei- ther Cutajar nor Farrugia repaid the money, Camilleri claimed. Cutajar denied Camilleri's version of events and warned him not to continue with his "unfounded, malicious and baseless claims" or else face legal action. Lawyers Edward Gatt and Mark Vassallo signed the reply. Rosianne Cutajar denies pocketing brokerage fee for Yorgen Fenech Mdina property deal in judicial letter Rosianne Cutajar