UPDATED, Adds government reaction, Busuttil comment - The government has agreed to hold a debate within the Parliamentary environment committee on three Bill which will bring about the demerger of the Planning Authority.
The request was made to the government by Din l-Art Helwa and other environment NGOs.
A similar request was also made by the Opposition.
Speaking at a press conference, Shadow minister Marthese Portelli and MP Ryan Callus said they had written to the president of the committee, Labour MP Marlene Farrugia, requesting such a debate.
The demerger will see the environment hived off from Mepa's planning role and fall under a new authority.
Dr Portelli said the government was trying to rush the legislation through parliament before the summer recess, and without sufficient debate.
She complained that proper public consultation about the government;s plans had not been made.
The Nationalist MPs accused the government of trampling over the environment and said these new laws would give the government total control of environment decisions, effectively opening the way for more abuse and scandals.
The importance of the environment would be reduced, to the detriment of current and future generations.
See the proposed laws at
http://environment.gov.mt/en/decc/Pages/environment/mepa_demerge.aspx
The government in a statement said it agreed to hold the debate at the request of the e-NGOs, hours before the request by the Opposition.
The meeting would enable to NGOs and all interested parties to express themselves on the proposed changes.
The government insisted that the changes would strengthen the environment since it would fall within a new, autonomous authority and would oversee all decisions involving the environment. To date, the environment only formed part of a directorate which had a consultative but not a decision-making role.
The new Environment Authority would sit on the executive council of the new Planning Authority where planning policies were prepared. This would ensure that all planning policies reflected the demands of the environment and sought to balance environmental protection with sustainable development.
The Planning Board would also include representatives of the Environment Authority and NGOs.
When the Environment Authority disagreed with a permit granted by the Planning Authority, it could appeal before an independent board, something which was currently not possible.
In a reply to the government statement, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said this was consultation à la Joseph Muscat, with the environment NGOs given less than 24 hours to give their views on the three new laws which would be rushed through Parliament in days.