Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar has filed a warrant of inhibitory injunction against Mepa in an attempt to prevent the uprooting of the trees at It-Tokk in Victoria Gozo, as part of an EU-financed embellishment project.

FAA co-ordinator Astrid Vella this morning warned that the environment group was were keeping all options open including the possibility of filing a complaint with the European Commission.

Addressing a news conference in front of the offices of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in Floriana, she said that it was unacceptable that an EU-funded project would be used to uproot these trees which were more than 50 years old.

Though the original permit was to prune these trees, she said that they had been made aware that the Victoria council was planning to file a request to have these trees uprooted. Ms Vella questioned whether this would be done to accommodate the commercial outlets in the area, as this would make it easier to encroach public land. Their removal would negatively impact on the environment as trees mitigate the effect of pollution, the FAA said.

Ms Vella said that the NGO next month would be bringing over a tree expert from the UK to give his advice. This initiative was part of its efforts to be pro-active and not just criticise the state of the environment.

The FAA remarked that trees in residential places in Gozo were under threat due to several other embellishment projects in places like Qala, and Nadur. However in the case of Qala, the trees were saved after the intervention of the Church, whereas in Nadur the council had halted works to await for the advice of the tree expert.

Former Mepa acting director Alfred Baldacchino who was also present, noted that in its manifesto the Labour Party had pledged to protect all trees even those in inhabited areas. However he warned that if Mepa were to give the green light to uproot these trees, it would signify that the government had lost its vision for the environment.