A group of 25 farmers who have been farming land at Magħtab for years, are claiming "immense prejudice" should the land be taken over for waste management purposes.

Their judicial protest comes in the wake of a notice published in the Government Gazette on December 17, 2019 whereby Lands Authority expressed its intention of expropriating the land in question.

This expropriation would run counter to laws, policies and EU directives on environment and waste management, the farmers claim.

They say existing facilities were not in conformity with the applicable legal regime and are being operated "without valid permits."

The prospected forceful taking of the land would constitute illegal and abusive behaviour by the authorities in breach of rights of farmers who depend on the land for their livelihood.

Thus protesting parties were holding the authorities responsible in damages, calling upon them to immediately desist from their plan.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Amadeus Cachia and Claire Bonello signed the protest.

Twenty residents and property owners have also filed a separate judicial protest against the proposed expansion today. Their act was signed by lawyer Marco Ciliberti.

In a statement, the Nationalist Party expressed solidarity with farmers, residents and all those who would be affected by the government’s irresponsible decision.

It said it supported the judicial protest filed on Friday and joined them in their plea to the government to reconsider its decision.

The government should instead declare that the farmland was to be saved and other solutions would be found, they said.