Copyright maltatoday
Activists part of the Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign have set up camp outside parliament on Sunday, ahead of the national protest against government’s planning reform set for budget day. Dozens of tents were set up by activists from Ġustizzja għal Artna, a coalition of several NGOs. “We are starting a Justice for our Land Campaign. We will not accept that developers dictate the law in this country and destroy what we hold dear. The planning laws must be withdrawn now,” the campaigners said on Facebook. The activists pledged to “stay here for as long as necessary to ensure our message is heard loud and clear,” insisting that the government must immediately withdraw its reforms. The campaign is a reaction to two planning bills and legal notices that government tabled in parliament before the summer recess. Environmentalists have strongly opposed the planned reforms. Bill 143 would hand overarching powers to the Planning Authority, effectively undermining local plans and paving the way for development across the country. Bill 144, presented as a reform of the appeals process, would make it harder for citizens to challenge decisions, creating new obstacles and taking away the court’s ability to revoke permits. A protest organised by Ġustizzja għal Artna will take place on Monday evening, deliberately timed to coincide with budget day to underline that the situation is not business as usual. The demonstration is set to begin outside the law courts at 5:30pm and proceed towards parliament, where the budget speech is expected to start at around 6pm. The Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign brings together several major NGOs, environmental groups and resident associations, including BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Moviment Graffitti, and Nature Trust – FEE Malta. MaltaToday is endorsing the campaign. Momentum expresses solidarity with protesters Meanwhile, Momentum Party has expressed solidarity with citizens camping outside parliament in their call for fairer, better, and sustainable planning legislation. “Momentum encourages members of the public to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Moviment Graffitti in defence of our environment, our communities, and our quality of life." It said that Malta has a real opportunity to strengthen the planning framework so that it protects communities, respects the environment, and serves the long-term well-being of the country. Momentum urged "those who care about Malta’s future" to attend tomorrow’s protest in Valletta.
