Stop the harassment on volunteers - six NGOs

Six environmental organisations yesterday called on the Malta Environment and Planning Authority chairman to investigate leaks and possible misuse of sensitive information at the authority.

While Mepa was usually very careful about the kind of information that got into the public domain, the "improper access" to a file pertaining to an application by Astrid Vella of Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar had been traced to individuals at Mepa who had no legitimate reason to be viewing it, the NGOs said.

Likewise, they said, claims made about the purchase of an agricultural field 40 years ago by Ramblers president Lino Bugeja did not signify any attempt on his part to develop it.

The statement was signed by Birdlife Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA), Friends of the Earth, GAIA Foundation, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement and the Ramblers Association.

They said Ms Vella had applied to construct a small swimming pool on the terrace of a block of flats built with regular permits several years ago.

Ms Vella's 1998 application was refused and she did not appeal. They said she was not the owner of this property for several years and at no point did she or any member of her family apply for a pool or house in fields or on virgin land, as was being claimed.

The NGOs said these allegations failed to justify, as they appeared to have been intended to do, the violation of a Baħrija site, which is safeguarded by the highest level of EU protection.

They said that this "campaign of ongoing harassment" violated the Aarhus Convention, which specifically precluded such abuse and other attempts "to gag those who speak about embarrassing truths".

"It is an alarming regression in Malta's democracy and a serious threat to citizens' fundamental right to freedom of speech. Moreover, it is a despicable attempt to distract the public from the more serious issues which the nation is currently facing," they said.

In a statement issued last night, Mepa denied the allegations made that one of its officials had mishandled or unethically accessed the Xagħra development application file of Ms Vella.

All development planning applications submitted to Mepa are available to the public and can be accessed through its website.

The authority called upon these NGOs to substantiate and bring forward any information they have to back claims that such unethical practice has, in the past, led to leaks or possible misuse of sensitive information.

Such allegations were harmful when made without any evidence, Mepa said.