Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/709569
SAVIOUR BALZAN A mini summer-storm has erupt- ed around Opposition leader Si- mon Busuttil over his statement that he was shocked at Prime Min- ister Joseph Muscat's declaration that he did not agree with expand- ing the Malta Freeport footprint at Birzebbugia. It was an opportunity for the La- bour-led council in Birzebbugia to condemn his statements in favour of the freeport expansion, when mayor Kevin Barun filed a motion at an extraordinary council meet- ing. While Labour lambasted Busut- til for what it claimed was a U-turn on his 'ODZ is ODZ' stand, Busut- til has been adamant about what he said. "The only thing I did was to ex- press surprise that the PM could publicly declare that he does not want one of our best perform- ing and best paying companies to grow further," the PN leader told MaltaToday. "This sent the wrong message to the Freeport, to stop investing. I never made any reference to any land, whether outside develop- ment zones (ODZ) or reclaimed." Indeed, the politically-appointed CEO of the Malta Freeport, Aaron Farrugia, who is also a Labour par- ty candidate, had said in a recent interview that he himself support- ed further land reclamation for the freeport. "The government is planning to build new projects through land reclamation. We are looking into the possibility of having artificial land next to the Freeport, given that the sea over here is the deep- est all around the island." He was talking to The Report, an online newspaper partnered with The Guardian. Farrugia said in June 2014 that he saw this happen- ing in five to seven years. "By building on business at the freeport, I never said that ODZ land should be taken up," Busuttil told MaltaToday this week. But Busuttil's statements were pounced upon by Labour mayor Kevin Barun, who filed a motion for a vote at a council meeting, insisting that Busuttil's statement of "shock" was akin to a stance in favour of expanding the Freeport on land lying in ODZ – outside development zones. Most of the Freeport lies in fact on reclaimed sea and not on pristine land. "Muscat pledged not to allow the Freeport to expand further into the heart of Birzebbugia. Busuttil said that he was shocked at Mus- cat's statement, which logically means that he was shocked that the Prime Minister doesn't want the Freeport to expand," Barun said. On the other hand PN councillor Hermann Schiavone has accused Barun of twisting Busuttil's words. Schiavone presented a counter- motion that called on political par- ties to come clean on their stances on further Freeport expansion, on the Freeport to build bridges with Birzebbugia residents through the principle of corporate social responsibility, and on the govern- ment to give an account of the im- pact on residents of a gas tanker that will be moored in Marsaxlokk Bay as part of Labour's flagship LNG power station project. "The greatest concern of Birzeb- bugia residents is the gas tanker, not the expansion of the Freeport," Schiavone argued. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 JULY 2016 News Freeport CEO Aaron Farrugia said two years ago that he saw Freeport expansion in five to seven years' time Busuttil: 'I never mentioned ODZ or land reclamation for Freeport'