Activists have slammed a bid by developer Joseph Portelli to sanction his illegal Qala pools as a “mockery of justice” facilitated by authorities who bend over backwards to please “greedy developers”. 

A fresh sanctioning application has been filed for the controversial swimming pools, which were built outside the development zone in Qala, after a court revoked its planning permission in March. 

But Moviment Graffitti said on Wednesday that this fresh attempt to legitimise the pools is a sign of Malta’s planning system sinking to “new lows of indecency” and said that the courts were “unequivocal” in saying that the pools were not compatible with the rural area. 

“Given that illegal structures can only be sanctioned if they conform to current planning policies, Portelli’s second application to sanction these pools, after such a categorical Court ruling, is a blatant mockery of our justice system,” they said. 

“This affront to justice is facilitated by the Government and its authorities, who have consistently bent over backwards to satisfy the greed of developers.”

In June, Graffiti hosted a flash protest at the site of the pools and spraypainted the word “illegal” in big red letters all over the bottom of one of them. 

The point of this protest, they said, was to highlight how the government has failed to curb what they called Portelli’s “bullying tactics” and failed to reform the flawed planning appeals system, which allows developers to start working on a project despite having an appeal pending. 

This has led to a situation like the one in Qala where projects end up being completed after the courts revoke their permits. 

“As we stated during our direct action, and reiterate now, this planning system is intentionally rigged in favour of developers,” they said. 

“The Government is effectively enforcing impunity for developers by allowing them to construct structures that are illegal or potentially illegal, and then failing to take meaningful action against these violations. In the case of Qala, the Planning Authority has not even restricted access to the pools, which remain fully operational despite their clear illegality.”

They expressed disappointment that there is still no sign of reform in planning appeals as promised by Robert Abela. 

They once again called for Portelli’s illegal pools in Qala to be demolished and reform enacted without delay. 

“Moviment Graffitti is prepared to take further direct action if the people's call for basic decency in planning continues to fall on deaf ears.”