Organisations within the Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign held a press conference outside the Planning Authority to outline the urgent demands of this Saturday’s national protest. The location was chosen not only because the PA is symbolic of the current rotten planning system, but also because the proposed “reform” would grant it unchecked and arbitrary powers, placing it above all other institutions.
The organisations explained how the two bills and three legal notices put forward by Government would dismantle nearly all existing planning safeguards. Bill 143 would give the PA the power to amend the Local Plan by, for example, removing areas from the ODZ or altering building heights, even in sensitive areas such as UCAs. This would unleash a flood of applications from developers seeking to open up new land for construction or intensify development for personal gain. The bill also grants further arbitrary powers to the PA and the Minister, such as issuing policies without public consultation, superseding all other regulations, and even reviving expired permits.
Bill 144 would make it significantly harder to appeal PA decisions by restricting the grounds for appeal, threatening appellants with a €5,000 fine, and giving the Tribunal arbitrary powers to alter approved plans. Alarmingly, the Court itself would be stripped of its power to revoke irregularly-issued permits.
Furthermore, the three legal notices published as part of this so-called “reform” package would regularise all forms of illegal development, with no restrictions on type, location, or size.
It is clear that these laws are nothing less than a developer’s wish list. They would lead to profound social injustices, a sharp decline in quality of life, and widespread environmental destruction. They would allow greed to undermine both our present and our children’s future.
Our demands are:
1. The immediate withdrawal of the draft bills and legal notices. Consultation cannot take place on legislation that is fundamentally flawed, malicious in intent, and beyond repair.
2. The urgent introduction of a measure suspending works on developments approved by the Planning Authority while an appeal is ongoing, through an amendment to existing law.
3. The publication of a White Paper to launch a genuine consultation on the broader planning reforms Malta truly needs.
We firmly believe, because past experience has shown us time and again, that the people have the power to stop this assault on our country’s wellbeing and democracy. On Saturday 4th October, the public will have the opportunity to resist this madness by joining the national protest: Ġustizzja għal Artna: Irtirawhom Issa! starting at 10am from the Law Courts.
We have no other choice. We must stop them.
Groups across Malta and Gozo, both formal and informal, are also invited to join by emailing info@gustizzjartna.org. Over 45 groups have already endorsed the protest.
141 Records
7R Lifestyle Malta
Aditus Foundation
Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura
Bandiera tal-Ħaddiem
BirdLife Malta
Criminology Students Association (CSA)
Dance Beyond Borders
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Din l-Art Ħelwa – Għawdex
Earth Systems Association (ESA)
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent
Għaqda Residenti tal-Qrendi
Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuga
Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi (GħSL)
Għawdix
Humanists Malta
Illum
Kopin
Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU)
Light Pollution Awareness Group
Malta Rangers Unit
Malta University Historical Society (MUHS)
Malta-Arch
MaltaToday
Maltese Honey Bee Foundation
Marsaskala Residents Network
Marsaxlokk Heritage
Men Against Violence
MGRM
Moviment Azzjoni Socjali
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust Malta
Occupyjustice
Pembroke Residents
Ramblers Association Malta
ReLeaf
Repubblika
Residenti Beltin
S-Cubed
Sharklab Malta
Sliema Residents Association
Wirt Għawdex
Wirt iż-Żejtun
Żminijietna
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Organizzazzjonijiet iwissu dwar il-konsegwenzi diżastrużi tar-“riforma” tal-Ippjanar qabel il-protesta nazzjonali ta’ nhar is-Sibt
Organizzazzjonijiet fi ħdan il-kampanja Ġustizzja għal Artna għamlu konferenza stampa quddiem l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar biex itennu t-talbiet urġenti tal-protesta nazzjonali ta’ nhar is-Sibt. Il-post intagħżel mhux biss għax il-PA hija simbolu tas-sistema attwali tal-ippjanar li tinsab fi stat ta’ taħsir, iżda wkoll għax ir-“riforma” proposta tagħtiha setgħat arbitrarji u mhux ikkontrollati, u tqiegħdha fuq kull istituzzjoni oħra.
L-organizzazzjonijiet spjegaw kif iż-żewġ abbozzi ta’ liġi u t-tliet avviżi legali mressqa mill-Gvern se jeqirdu kważi l-protezzjonijiet eżistenti kollha tal-ippjanar. L- Abbozz ta’ Liġi 143 jagħti lill-PA is-setgħa li timmodifika l-Pjanijiet Lokali, bħal pereżempju tneħħi żoni minn ODZ jew tbiddel l-għoli tal-bini, anke f’żoni sensittivi bħal UCAs. Dan jiftaħ il-bibien għal mewġa ta’ applikazzjonijiet minn żviluppaturi biex ikollhom iktar art għall-kostruzzjoni jew biex jintensifikaw l-iżvilupp għall-profitt personali tagħhom. L-abbozz jagħti wkoll setgħat arbitrarji ulterjuri lill-PA u lill-Ministru, bħall-ħruġ ta’ politiki mingħajr konsultazzjoni pubblika, li jissuperaw kull regolament ieħor, u saħansitra li jagħtu l-ħajja lil permessi skaduti.
L-Abbozz ta’ Liġi 144 jagħmilha ħafna iktar diffiċli biex wieħed jappella deċiżjonijiet tal-PA billi jillimita l-bażijiet għall-appell, joħloq theddida ta’ multa ta’ €5,000 fuq l-appellanti, u jagħti setgħat arbitrarji lit-Tribunal biex jimmodifika pjanijiet approvati. U dak li hu l-iktar allarmanti hu li l-Qorti stess se titlef is-setgħa tagħha li tħassar permessi mogħtija b’mod irregolari.
Barra minn hekk, it-tliet avviżi legali ppubblikati bħala parti minn dan il-pakkett ta’ “riforma” se jirregolarizzaw kull tip ta’ żvilupp illegali, mingħajr ebda limitazzjoni fuq it-tip, il-post jew id-daqs.
Huwa ċar li dawn il-liġijiet mhuma xejn ħlief lista tax-xewqat tal-iżviluppaturi. Huma se jwasslu għal inġustizzji soċjali profondi, tnaqqis qawwi fil-kwalità tal-ħajja, u qerda ambjentali mifruxa. Se jħallu r-regħba teqred mhux biss il-preżent tagħna, imma wkoll il-futur ta’ wliedna.
It-talbiet tagħna huma dawn:
1. L-irtirar immedjat tal-abbozzi ta’ liġi u l-avviżi legali. Ma tistax issir konsultazzjoni dwar leġiżlazzjoni li hija fundamentalment difettuża, malizzjuża fl-intenzjoni tagħha, u li ma tistax tissewwa.
2. L-introduzzjoni urġenti ta’ miżura li tissospendi x-xogħlijiet ta’ żviluppi approvati mill-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar waqt li jkun għaddej appell, permezz ta’ emenda għal-liġi eżistenti.
3. Il-pubblikazzjoni ta’ White Paper biex titnieda konsultazzjoni ġenwina dwar ir-riformi usa’ tal-ippjanar li Malta verament teħtieġ.
Aħna nemmnu bil-qawwa, u l-esperjenza wrietna bosta drabi, li l-poplu għandu l-kapaċità li jwaqqaf dan l-attakk fuq il-ġid komuni u fuq id-demokrazija f’pajjiżna.
Fid-dawl ta’ dan, il-poplu Malti u Għawdxi huwa mħeġġeġ biex jingħaqad magħna fil-protesta nazzjonali Ġustizzja għal Artna: Irtirawhom Issa! li se ssir nhar is-Sibt 4 ta’ Ottubru u li se tibda fl-10:00am minn quddiem il-Qorti.
M’għandniex għażla oħra. Irridu nieħdu azzjoni. Irridu nwaqqfuhom issa.
Gruppi madwar Malta u Għawdex, kemm dawk formali kif ukoll dawk informali, huma wkoll mistiedna jingħaqdu magħna billi jibagħtu email lil info@gustizzjartna.org. Iktar minn 45 grupp diġa wrew l-appoġġ tagħhom lejn il-protesta.
141 Records
7R Lifestyle Malta
Aditus Foundation
Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura
Bandiera tal-Ħaddiem
BirdLife Malta
Criminology Students Association (CSA)
Dance Beyond Borders
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Din l-Art Ħelwa – Għawdex
Earth Systems Association (ESA)
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent
Għaqda Residenti tal-Qrendi
Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuga
Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi (GħSL)
Għawdix
Humanists Malta
Illum
Kopin
Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU)
Light Pollution Awareness Group
Malta Rangers Unit
Malta University Historical Society (MUHS)
Malta-Arch
MaltaToday
Maltese Honey Bee Foundation
Marsaskala Residents Network
Marsaxlokk Heritage
Men Against Violence
MGRM
Moviment Azzjoni Socjali
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust Malta
Occupyjustice
Pembroke Residents
Ramblers Association Malta
ReLeaf
Repubblika
Residenti Beltin
S-Cubed
Sharklab Malta
Sliema Residents Association
Wirt Għawdex
Wirt iż-Żejtun
Żminijietna
