Momentum has filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request demanding full transparency over the drafting process of two controversial planning reform bills – Bills 143 and 144 – set to reshape Malta’s land-use and development framework. The request seeks to expose the extent to which major developers and their lobbyists may have influenced the legislation.
The FOI request calls on government to disclose all records of meetings between officials and stakeholders from the development sector, including the Malta Development Association and prominent developers. It also asks for the identity of all consultants and advisors engaged in drafting the bills, their terms of reference, and the total public funds spent on their remuneration.
“The public has a right to know who is writing our laws,” said independent politician and activist Arnold Cassola on behalf of Momentum. “These bills are not just technical adjustments – they are the blueprint for Malta’s concrete future. Were they written in the public interest, or behind closed doors to serve private profits?”
Momentum’s demands come amid intensifying national debate on the planning reform process. Despite the government’s announcement this morning that it is no longer rushing the bills through Parliament, protests went ahead this evening in Valletta, with ADPD, Moviment Graffitti, and NGOs warning that the proposed changes threaten democratic accountability and environmental safeguards.
Cassola argued that the FOI request is necessary to ensure accountability in policymaking. “Transparency is the bedrock of a functioning democracy. If the government has nothing to hide, it should release this information promptly. The Maltese people deserve to know whether the laws regulating development were shaped by those they are meant to regulate.”
The information requested includes dates, durations, and minutes of all meetings related to the bills’ drafting, as well as full details of any external advisors involved. The move signals a growing demand for scrutiny and public participation in a reform process critics warn could redefine Malta’s urban and environmental landscape for decades to come.
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