Ta' Cenc not in protected areas list

The Government did not include the Ta' Cenc site as a special protected area designated under the Wild Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive in its lists to the European Union. This was confirmed by EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas in his letter to Victor Galea, Alternattiva Demokratika (AD) spokesperson for Gozo.

The AD Gozo Regional Committee wrote to Mr Dimas earlier this year to request that the Maltese Government, in particular MEPA, explain to the public their decision not to file the ecological, historical, geological, archaeological and geomorphologic importance of Ta' Cenc Special Protected Area Status, thereby excluding it from forming part of the Natura 2000 networks, when all reports conducted on the area by independent bodies such as the University of Malta and other universities in the EU and worldwide have suggested otherwise.

Mr Galea said: "It is absolutely unacceptable that the Ta' Cenc site, home to various birds, endemic species and historical remains, has not been included in the list. Ta' Cenc is of unique importance, not only because of its special bio-diversity but also because the natural beauty of the place, with its diversity, is an attraction to Maltese and foreign tourists.

Professor Arnold Cassola, AD spokesman on EU affairs and secretary general of the European Green Party, said: "I shall try to raise the issue of Ta' Cenc directly with Mr Dimas, who has promised that should the Commission services identify the need to designate further sites in the Maltese archipelago, it will raise the issue with the Maltese authorities".

Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party, is urging all Gozitan and Maltese NGOs to e-mail Mr Dimas at stavros.dimas@cec.eu.int to protest against omission of Ta' Cenc from the list of protected areas by the government of Malta.