Three major developers resign from MDA amid claims of internal discord

The Malta Developers Association has confirmed the resignation of three senior council members, including its former secretary general, in what activists say exposes long-simmering tensions within one of the country's most powerful lobbies [1].

In a brief statement issued on Friday, MDA president Michael Stivala confirmed that Paul Attard, Anton Camilleri and Pio Vassallo had stepped down from the association's council. Stivala thanked the three for their "service, their time, and their contribution", adding that the MDA remained committed to its work "in the best interests of the sector and the country" [1].

The departures follow reports of disagreement over a decision by the association taken last week [1]. Camilleri's resignation is particularly notable — a major developer involved in the Manoel Island project, he was once touted as a potential concessionaire before the government announced the land would revert to the state [1].

Long-standing tensions emerge

Environmental activists have long characterised the MDA as a battleground of competing egos, its public unity masking deep factionalism. Wayne Flask, a prominent campaigner, has previously described the organisation as riven by internal discord, noting that Stivala had become an "unlikeliest critic" of government planning reforms despite the MDA officially backing them [1].

Activists have also accused the association of political manoeuvring, suggesting it has sought to sway the election by flirting with the PN while maintaining its financial relationship with the governing Labour Party — a strategy they argue reflects an industry accustomed to extracting political favours [1].

The MDA, long regarded as one of the country's most influential pressure groups with direct access to the highest levels of government, has not divulged reasons behind the resignations beyond its terse statement [1].