Five years after Turkish construction giant TACA generated a wave of controversy in Malta, the company has left behind millions in unpaid debts, a string of court cases and an enduring silence from some of the island’s largest firms.  

“We won the lawsuits but never got paid,” Terracore Director Alfred Xerri tells WhosWho.mt, noting that TACA never outright refused payment, but never delivered either.

“TACA always treated me with respect, but when it came to payment nothing ever materialised,” he adds.

TACA first entered the public spotlight in 2020, when 80 Turkish construction workers staged a strike at the Fortina project in Sliema over unpaid salaries, after reportedly working 11-hour shifts.

But while that strike briefly drew public attention, the deeper issues with TACA extend far beyond those workers.

Court cases and mounting debts

A web of lawsuits has since revealed the scale of unpaid bills left behind.

• Terracore Limited, specialists in drilling and geological assessments, won a case against TACA over €5 million owed to the company, with additional claims of €141,897. Terracore had entered into a sub-contracting agreement with TACA for the Fortina Project. 
  
  
• Polidano Brothers Limited also took legal action after not being paid for €520,000 worth of services related to the Tigné seafront project. 
  
  
• Cerviola Holidays Limited claimed just over €250,000 for accommodation, food, transport and related services, and also won its case.
  
  
• B&G Hardware Store, represented by Saviour Bellizzi, was owed just over €46,000.
  
  
• Wurth Limited was left with an unpaid balance of nearly €20,000.

At least 13 court cases were filed against TACA in Malta. 

The silence of major companies

Two of Malta’s largest companies – Fortina and Polidano Brothers – both pursued TACA in court, but when contacted for comment they, along with DB Group and James Caterers (through the Malta Healthcare Caterers consortium), all chose to remain silent.

Their silence means there is no clear indication about the amount still owed by TACA to Maltese firms. 

It also raises the question: why have some of Malta’s most prominent firms chosen not to speak out, despite being owed substantial sums?

Today, TACA has vanished from Malta, leaving behind millions in debts and unanswered questions. Despite multiple attempts to seek their input, TACA has remained silent.