Billboards the Valletta 2018 Foundation described as “heritage pollution” will be removed, the two big political parties have pledged.
V18 chairman Jason Micallef on Monday called on both the Labour and the Nationalist Parties to do away with the billboards near the Valletta bus terminal, in St James ditch, at the foot of Ġlormu Cassar Avenue.
He criticised the parties for displaying such party propaganda that not only marred the view of the recently restored St James bastions but also obscured the vantage point of Chris Briffa’s PerspettiVa monument, an installation which, when viewed from a certain angle, brings together elements of Valletta’s four city gates.
As soon as the court proceedings are done, we will relocate our billboard
Mr Micallef told a press conference that the location of the two parties’ billboards was simply unacceptable. “This wouldn’t be tolerated at any other international landmark, and Valletta shouldn’t be treated any differently,” he said.
A PN spokesman said the party would relocate the billboard to “respect Malta’s cultural and historic heritage”.
A PL spokesman said the party would be removing the billboards “in the coming days” as had also been agreed with Mr Micallef.
Both parties later clarified they would not be able to remove the billboards immediately because of a court injunction issued in a case filed by the PN, which is challenging a new law it says would muzzle the Opposition from expressing political messages due to restrictive fees. If the party were to retain the billboards, about 20 of them, it would need to pay more than €30,000. “The court proceedings are expected to end in the coming days and, as soon as these are done, we will relocate our billboard,” the PN spokesman said.
Mr Micallef’s calls gained traction on social media, with many rallying behind him and insisting the billboards be removed.
He told this newspaper he was open to making the capital a billboard-free zone and was considering suggesting this to the authorities to ensure the St James ditch incident would not be repeated.
“What we cannot tolerate is a situation where Valletta, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is covered in billboards,” Mr Micallef said.