The Environment Ministry was not consulted on plans to revise the Outside Development Zone policy, lambasted by environmental organisations for opening the countryside to illegal development.

Interviewed by The Sunday Times of Malta, Environment Minister Leo Brincat revealed he had not been involved in discussions even though nature conservation is his direct responsibility. “On the ODZ, we have not been consulted as a ministry,” he says. But he promised to “strongly object” to situations where developers attempt to exploit the countryside for commercial purposes.

Hands full dealing with waste racket

He called on the public to wait until the new Environment and Resources Authority is set up as a result of the Mepa split before judging his performance on environmental protection.

He admits his hands are full dealing with the “racket” among waste management operators who are undoing the efforts to separate waste at home by mixing it all together during collection to increase profits.

Mr Brincat was also asked to justify how a ministry responsible for nature conservation continues to rubberstamp decisions for government to deliver on pre-electoral promises to the hunting lobby.

“It is not in their [hunters’] interest to risk losing it all,” Mr Brincat said.