Infrastructure Malta CEO sets the record straight

As protesters against the Central Link project prepare to tie themselves today to trees that are facing the chop, Infrastructure Malta CEO Frederick Azzopardi has made a final attempt to set the record straight about the highly contentious project that has got environmentalists up in arms.

In an opinion piece in today’s issue, Azzopardi insists that the Central Link project “is by far the most beneficial solution to our transport challenges in the central part of Malta we have on the cards.”

The project’s approval, he admits, “has struck a raw nerve with segments of the public, with some opponents condemning it due to the uprooting of trees and the use of additional land beyond the existing roads, including agricultural fields.”

But he also points to what he describes as ‘some exaggerated and fake news’, particularly the suggestion that the project will claim the Aleppo pine trees on Saqqajja Hill and the western part of Mdina Road, all the way to the Our Lady of Victory Chapel.

“This is simply not true,” he insists.

“Actually, along this stretch of road, we’ll only be removing three trees and planting 200 new ones, including 125 mature Aleppo pine trees.

“And while we will be removing or transplanting other trees along the rest of the route towards Mrieħel, ultimately, when the project’s ready, Attard and Balzan will have 285 more mature native trees than they do now. Hundreds of other trees will be planted across Malta, as further compensation for the project’s environmental impacts.”

Most would agree that the traffic problem in Attard needs to be tackled, Azzopardi insists, but while acknowledging that “we may disagree on how this should be done, we cannot postpone this decision any longer.”

Azzopardi also disagrees with claims that no other options were studied before the final plans were drawn up, saying: “All scientific studies carried out show that the project in its current format is the most feasible option. These studies have been publicly available for months.

“They were published by the Environment and Resources Authority as part of the development permitting process that led to last week’s approval of the project. However, we have no difficulty sharing them or other information with interested parties.”