Watch: Promotional video released ahead of planning reform protest
The protest will take place on Saturday, October 4
A promotional video has been released ahead of a protest against two controversial new laws proposing sweeping changes to planning rules.
The video from the Ġustizzja għal Artna: Irtirawhom Issa! (“Justice for our Land: Withdraw Them Now!”) campaign outlines the impact of the two bills should they be signed into law, while calling on the public to join the protest to demand the laws' withdrawal.
The protest is due to be held on Saturday, October 4, in Valletta.
In a statement accompanying the video’s release, campaign organisers warned that bills 143 and 144 would lead to “the loss of Malta’s precious landscapes, cultural heritage, and open spaces” should they be introduced.
The campaign called on the public “to come together in solidarity, to raise their voices, and to demand that these destructive laws be withdrawn”.
“It is a message of both urgency and hope: that collective action can make a difference, and that our natural and cultural heritage should be safeguarded for future generations,” organisers said.
The bills, tabled in Parliament shortly before the summer recess and without prior public consultation, were slammed by activists as “a developer’s wish list” and “dismantling nearly all remaining legal safeguards” when they were first revealed.
Prime Minister Robert Abela bowed to pressure from activists later that month, announcing a public consultation on the bills. Earlier this month, the government said it had received than 1,500 responses during the four-week consultation period.
The Ġustizzja għal Artna: Irtirawhom Issa! campaign is backed by BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Moviment Graffiti, Għawdix, the Nature Trust, Ramblers’ Association, Wirt Ghawdex, Friends of the Earth Malta, FAA, FŻA, Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura, MALTA-ARCH, Moviment Azzjoni Socjali and Releaf.