Prime Minister to sue NET over ‘false’ planning reform report
Article quotes PL sources as saying Abela cannot back down from controversial bills
Updated 5.55pm with PN reaction
Prime Minister Robert Abela intends to take legal action against the Nationalist Party media over an article regarding the controversial planning laws.
Two controversial bills for reform of the planning process are currently before parliament, but they have been widely criticised by environmentalists as opening the door to destructive development.
The NET article states that, according to leaks from within the Labour Party, Abela is set to press ahead with the reforms despite facing serious internal opposition.
NET quoted the same source as saying that even though the issue is currently the main cause of deep divisions within the party, Abela is “trapped” and unable to back out.
A statement released by the PL said the report was false: “The Labour parliamentary group categorically denies that during a meeting today, Prime Minister Robert Abela communicated a decision that the government will continue with the planning reform without introducing amendments reflecting the outcome of the consultation process.”
The party said that, as was the norm every year on the Saturday before the budget, the parliamentary group and the cabinet met to discuss the upcoming work related to “another budget which, through a strong economy, will continue to invest in Maltese and Gozitan families.”
Activists opposing the planning reform proposals have repeatedly argued that the proposed legal changes would, among other things, grant the PA outsized powers to ignore its own rules and policies to approve developments.
Earlier in October, the Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign sent a letter to the prime minister urging him to issue a White Paper instead of the planning reforms bills.
They also warned that they will “intensify” their actions if the government continues to persist with the bills, which “read like a wish-list for developers”.
'In state of panic, Abela confirms NET story': PN
On Saturday afternoon, the PN said that "in a state of panic", after NET News and independent media published reports "confirming leaks from within" the PL, Labour issued a statement that "effectively confirmed" NET’s story that the Labour parliamentary group had met.
"The statement – which was evidently drafted in haste – denies claims that NET News never made, while confirming the story that both the Labour parliamentary group and Cabinet held meetings, without anywhere denying that the draft laws related to planning were discussed.
"In his rush to contain the situation, knowing full well that members of his own Parliamentary Group are leaking information directly to NET News, Robert Abela declared that he will be taking legal action against NET News," the party said in a statement.
The PN challenged the prime minister to initiate the legal proceedings without delay and to request that the case be heard urgently, so that the public may know the full truth, it added.