More than a thousand people marched into Valletta today to protest the government’s plans to introduce new planning bills that would allow the Planning Authority to bypass many of Malta’s environmental and planning regulations enacted over the past decades. Environmental NGOs have described the proposed reforms as the most corrupt overhaul of planning laws in the country’s history. Some reports state that more than a couple of thousand people attended the protest.
The activists are demanding the withdrawal of the twoc ontroversial bills on planning which were introduced quietly before the summer recess, and have promised more protests until their demands are met. The protestors vowed to to return next week with another protests unless the bills are removed.
PN and Opposition Leader Alex Borg also attended the protest along with a PN delegation. Aex Borg has recently presented proposals in parliament to entrench constitutional protections for the environment but the proposals were shot down by Labour Party MPs.
The last major environmental protest in Valletta was the Xebbajtuna Protest held in May 2023 which was followed by the Prime Minister’s pledge to address concerns about over construction and the decreasing environmental footprint. The last protest had gathered up to a couple of thousand of people.
Most of the environmental NGOs were part of the protest including Ramblers Association, Moviment Graffitti, Flimkien Għall-Ambjent Aħjar, Bird Life Malta, Din L-Art Ħelwa and Nature Trust Malta.
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