Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/429113
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 7 DECEMBER 2014 14 News JAMES DEBONO A new six storey high 90 room ho- tel is being proposed along Triq ir-Rabat in Marsalforn. Part of the development is being proposed in fields located outside development zones. In 2009 MEPA had already ap- proved the development of 29 apartments, four penthouses over four storeys on the part of the site which lies within the development zone, located between two existing blocks of buildings. Permission was also granted to demolish a solitary farmhouse lo- cated between the two already built blocks. The approved development also includes an ODZ boundary wall. Back than MEPA imposed a condi- tion that the wall should be built as a traditional rubble wall. A permit for an ODZ swimming pool was approved in 2011. This development was not carried out but the permits approved in the past years are still valid. The latest proposal further en- croaches on the ODZ area behind the infill site between the two exist- ing blocks. The development is being pro- posed by Pristina Property Lim- ited, owned by Victor Bigeni and Michael and Francis Cremona. THE government yesterday accused the Opposition of using information from an unofficial website to justify its 'false' calculations on fuel prices. The government said fuel prices quoted by the Opposition differ from the European Commission's figures. "The Opposition should explain why they are using figures found on the Internet while ignoring the Europe- an Commission's calculations." According to the European Com- mission, the EU average retail price of petrol is €1.45 per litre while the average retail price of diesel is €1.32. However, according to 'Europe's Energy Portal', an independent com- mercial organisation that claims to have 'strong roots' within the EU, the EU average retail price of petrol is €1.36 per litre while that of diesel is €1.29. The website also shows that, ex- cluding taxes, the price of petrol in Malta is €0.71 per litre and that of diesel is €0.73 per litre. In both cas- es, the website ranks them as higher rates than in any other EU member states. Using these statistics, petrol would cost €1.31 per litre if it was bought at the EU average and €1.14 if it was bought at the rate Sweden buys it. Citing these latter statistics, the PN accused the government on Friday of hiding taxes on fuel that haven't been approved in Parliament and challenged them to publish their contracts of sales for fuel. "Since the Opposition now believes that the price of petrol and diesel, ex- cluding taxes, should be on par with Sweden's, they should explain why the price of petrol, excluding taxes in Malta was 7% higher than it was in Sweden at the beginning of March 2013," the government said. AN 18-year-old woman yesterday died from injuries incurred in a fall of five storeys from the balcony of a residence in Triq il-Hamrija, Mar- saskala. The woman, a Somali, was taken to Mater Dei Hospital where she was certified to be in danger of dying. Duty magistrate Antonio Vella ap- pointed experts Richard Aquilina and forensic doctor Mario Scerri to investigate, together with Inspector Josric Mifsud and police sergeant Gino Caruana. She died later at Mater Dei Hospi- tal. 90-room hotel proposed in Marsalforn Girl, 18, dies in five-storey fall 'False' calculations in PN's fuel price criticism SITE