(Adds Tourism Parliamentary Secretariat's reaction)
Eight environment groups are calling on the public to join a national rally in Valletta on March 13, to raise the issue of ongoing environmental abuse and lack of law enforcement.
The rally, starting from City Gate at 10 a.m., will call on the government to effectively enforce existing laws and put an end to ongoing environmental abuse.
Construction encroachment Out of Development Zone, violation of Malta’s Structure Plan and of the EU air pollution directive, illegal hunting and trapping, destruction of heritage and Natura 2000 sites, and unauthorised groundwater extraction have become acutely unsustainable, they said in a statement.
The NGOs said the MEPA Enforcement Unit which deals with environmental crimes has been drastically downsized while illegal extraction of groundwater, widespread killing of protected birds and illegal occupation of the countryside have gone unchecked.
The NGOs also condemn the permits recently granted for major projects which in many cases violate the Structure Plan and MEPA regulations as well as the EU directive on public consultation.
Despite the Prime Minister's promises for better protection of Malta's natural environment, the situation has reached unacceptable proportions, with MEPA giving irrational interpretations of its policies in order to suit private and not public interest.
The organisations holding the rally are BirdLife Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Greenhouse, Graffitti, MOAM, Nature Trust Malta and Ramblers Association of Malta.
The NGOs appeal to the competent authorities and institutions to ensure citizens' rights to law enforcement in accordance with environmental standards operative in the European Union.
PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIAT'S REACTION
One of the main pillars of the Mepa reform process was the strengthening of the authority’s enforcement arm against irregular development, the secretariat said in a reaction.
To this effect, a separate Enforcement Directorate was being set up within Mepa and a public call for the position of director enforcement had already been issued. Mepa was also undergoing a capacity building for this directorate.
A number of measures aimed at deterring irregular development were also included in the bill on Environment and Development Planning currently being debated in Parliament.
The bill, the secretariat said, was proposing that no sanctioning could be applied for in cases of an irregular development which exceeded the approved footprint, or, increased the approved volume of the building and was carried out after May 2007 in an area outside areas designated for development; an irregular development in a scheduled property; or an irregular development carried out after May 2007 in a special area of conservation.
The bill was also proposing that enforcement notices could not be suspended in the case of the mentioned irregular developments, as well as in cases of injury to amenity; and in cases of property in a state of disrepair and/or constituted a danger, notwithstanding an appeal to such enforcement notice or a new application in respect thereof.
The Bill also provided for a complete revision of the fines imposed in cases of irregularities. The daily fine was being increased from €11.65 to €50 and the major fine from €2,330 to €50,000.
The secretariat said it looked forward to the positive outcome of the current reform process which should result in a better and enhanced enforcement for the benefit of all.