Prime Minister Robert Abela’s post-election statements on taking action over tables and chairs illegally taking up public space were nothing but “bluff,” the Green Party said on Saturday.
On Saturday, ADPD party chairperson Sandra Gauci said that one of the things Abela claimed he wanted to work on was achieving a balance between tables and chairs for outdoor use and government-owned public spaces.
“Abela's bluff is clear from the fact that after he said these very words, not only were certain recent illegalities sanctioned, but the platforms for the tables have also increased, and we have continued to witness our public spaces being eaten up,” Gauci said.
She called for a policy that protects the interests of citizens over those of businesses.
The party’s public relations officer, Brian Decelis, said any take-up of public land should be done following thorough consultation with residents.
“In recent months, we have joined residents in various localities, from Valletta to Rabat, Gozo, where we protested the appropriation of space by tables and chairs, which is slowly stifling our public spaces,” he said.
“We have tried to walk from the Gżira coast to Tignè, and one can barely manage to do so. This problem is also spreading to other locations such as Marsaskala, where the pavements are becoming congested with an increasing number of tables and chairs,” he said.
The same problem is happening on beaches, where umbrellas and sunbeds are taking over large areas.
“Even where there are existing permits, businesses are allowed to extend beyond what is authorised, with the approval of the authorities, who turn a blind eye to this blatant misuse,” he said.
The Green Party also criticised the PN-led Mosta local council’s decision to stop the town’s square from being pedestrianised during the weekend.
“They were not able to stand firm and defend a meagre day and a half of pedestrianisation per week without succumbing to such pressures. They have decided to deny residents the right to enjoy the square even for just a day and a half a week,” Gauci said of the Mosta council's plans