Farmers closed off a Coast Road entry to the Magħtab landfill on Saturday morning, in protest at plans to expropriate their arable land. 

A group of farmers parked their tractors at the intersection between the Coast Road and Triq ir-Ramla, which leads up to Magħtab, in a protest intended to draw attention to Wasteserv’s plans for the area.

Some of the angry protesters blocked off northbound lanes of the Coast Road itself for a few minutes, but moved the vehicles after a while to allow traffic to flow. 

"We want to protect our land. We have been suffering for 40 years, during which they gradually took our land to expand the landfill. Now we have had enough," a protester explained. 

Police urged the farmers to move along, as Saturday morning traffic built up along the major road.  

But the protesters, who were joined by Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo, instead flipped vegetable crates upside down and sat down on them in protest.

Wasteserv plans

Wasteserv wants to expropriate land from farmers in the area, saying it needs the space to expand the massive landfill in the area. It is seeking to take over more than 200 tumoli of land.

Farmers say the plans would ruin their livelihood and destroy the area. A group of 25 of them filed a judicial protest on Friday, saying the plans breach their rights and warning the government to not take land off them.

"Where's the prime minister? He hasn't said a single word about this," one angry demonstrator said during Saturday's event.  

"They'll have to run over my family if they want to take [this land]," he said. 

The protest was backed by activist group Extinction Rebellion Malta, which urged the government to reconsider its Magħtab plans. 

"Our representatives are endangering farmers' livelihoods, food security and local produce if they disregard farmers' collective protests," the group said. 

Prime minister meets farmers 

Robert Abela speaks with activists in the affected areas. Photo: One News

Prime Minister Robert Abela showed up later in the morning, to speak with protesters. The event was winding down by that stage.  

Dr Abela was shown around some of the land which farmers say they stand to lose to Wasteserv. He promised farmers that he would meet with them formally on Monday. 

Environment minister: no change is not an option

In a statement he published before Dr Abela visited the area, Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia indicated that the government's plans for the site would not be changing. 

“I understand farmers’ anger,” he wrote on Facebook. “But remaining as we are is not an option. Unless we act now, the environmental consequences and impact on Magħtab will be far greater”. 

Without the necessary waste management infrastructure, he said, agricultural land would continue to be taken up in the years to come. 

Mr Farrugia said that he would be meeting with farmers, residents, eNGOs and other stakeholders in the coming days. 

Farmers sit on crates as they protest the Wasteserv plans. Photo: Keith Micallef

A tractor blocks off northbound Coast Road traffic. The tractor was moved after a few minutes. Photo: Keith Micallef