Astrid Vella, Coordinator of Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) has been questioned by the police over an alleged libel following investigations by environmental organisations into a permit granted at a protected area in Bahrija.

The investigations were carried out by the Ramblers Association, FAA and NatureTrust.

"The fact that civil society volunteers who are taking an interest in the way that authorities operate on the Island are faced with criminal investigations is to be deplored.

"This action is nothing more than bullying meant to intimidate NGOs into silence which is a clear violation of the Aarhus Convention provisions on harassment of environmental activists to which Malta is a signatory," FAA said in a statement.

It said civil society volunteers should never be criminally investigated by the police for expressing opinions on matters of public interest.

There was even less justification in this particular case where the NGOs' stand had been vindicated by the MEPA auditor's report on the Bahrija case.

MEPA Auditor, Joe Falzon, told The Times that the last permit issued in relation to the project clearly ran against the MEPA's policy and should have never been given.

He also expressed doubts over the previous permits relating to the Bahrija development.

"This legal action is not reasonably justifiable in a democratic society and reflects poorly on the architect-politician who demanded a police investigation.

FAA condemns this waste of Police time and taxpayer's money," it said.

The organisation reiterated that it did not have anything to hide and whatever it had to say would be said in court.

FAA said it would be filing a complaint regarding harassment in breach of international protocol with the Geneva office of the Aarhus Convention.