Environmental NGOs said they were “fed up” of holding fruitless meetings with the authorities over green issues.
At a joint press conference earlier today, six green lobby groups expressed their dismay at the lack of results from talks with they had held with the government, opposition and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
“We have had plenty of meetings behind closed doors, these are a waste of time,” lobbyist Alfred Baldacchino said.
Friends of the Earth spokesman Edward Mallia shared the sentiment.
He told the press that Mepa had refused to take minutes of a series of meetings the organisation had held.
“They insist on not taking any official record of what is said in the meetings... If you want to quote someone you can’t. This is a lack of transparency,” he said.
Ramblers Association President Joe Aguis said the organisation had been long engaged in grid locked discussions with separate authorities.
“We have around eight pending issues with the lands department, many of which have been long standing,” he said.
Noise Abatement Society of Malta spokesman John Fenech said he had met with the consumer affairs authority, buildings regulations officials and both political parties but received limited feedback.
“The feeling on both political sides is that of a lack of interest,” he said.
Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar spokeswoman Astrid Vella said that lobby groups were united in their concern over a number of new planning policies being issued.
“We are all concerned that no studies were completed before these policies were issued,” she said.
Ms Vella insisted that best practices were not being followed and that all the groups were calling for an end to political interference in environmental issues.
“The environment, like health and education, should not be subject to partisan politics. We need to regulate and strengthen enforcement arms which have been systematically weakened,” she said.
Also present for the press conference were the Malta Water Association and the Malta Organic Agriculture Movement.