Żurrieq residents have firmly rejected Lands Minister Owen Bonnici's characterization of the Nigret land dispute, with activist Wayne Flask stating the minister does not speak for them and accusing the government of ignoring the community for four years. The confrontation escalated after the residents' group, Il-Kollettiv, renewed its demand to suspend all planning applications on the site. Flask noted that the government only sought a meeting after a "Vote Owen, Get George" flyer drew attention, and described the government's approach as chaotic, including a meeting called with just two hours' notice and multiple phone calls in one evening.