Alex Borg Rejects Claims He Supports Towers in Gozo

PN & Opposition Leader, Alex Borg, has dismissed recent comments suggesting he wants towers built in Gozo. In a video message released on social media, Borg said, “In the past two days, opponents of the Nationalist Party have falsely claimed that I want towers in Gozo. Read my lips: I do not want to see any towers in Gozo.”

Borg also called on Prime Minister Robert Abela to address concerns about Gozo and put the island’s needs on the national agenda. Being from Gozo himself, Borg concluded; “I truly understand Gozo’s needs.”

This comes after an interview that Borg gave to WhosWho.mt, where he did not rule out the possibility of a high-rise tower in Gozo, saying such a project could only be considered if a skyline policy identifies suitable areas for tall buildings.

When asked directly by WhosWho.mt if he would support a tower proposal for the sister island, Borg did not give an outright endorsement but neither did he rule it out completely, He however made it very clear that outside development zones should be excluded. He also ruled out the development of towers in Urban Conservation Areas (UCAs) and village cores. Although he was answering a direct question about Gozo, he did not specifically make his answer about the sister island, but rather a more generic one by saying “you cannot generalise… you have areas where there could be towers on the basis of a skyline policy.” He went on to explain that he is talking about areas that already have towers built in them.

Following this comment, Momentum Chairperson Arnold Cassola took to social media to call out newly elected PN Leader over remarks he made about the possibility of high-rise development on the island during an interview on WhosWho.mt.

Cassola wrote: “Alex Borg is open to having high-rises in certain parts of Gozo. Where, Alex? Xlendi? Marsalforn? Amazing. First he defended building five stories within the walls of Chambray, now he is open to high-rises in Gozo. Another xalata for developers in Gozo. The need for a third voice in parliament becomes even more urgent.”

In a series of social media posts, Gozitan ministers from the Labour Party firmly rejected the idea of introducing high-rise towers to Malta’s sister island.

Speaking to Malta Daily on Sunday morning, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that for the Labour government, a tower in Gozo is off the books, emphasising that the government wants to protect Gozo at all costs and preserve its village identity.

#MaltaDaily