People keen on protecting key areas from being closed off to the public have one more week to sign a petition calling for 23 sites to be kept in the public domain.
Environmental NGOs Friends of the Earth Malta and Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar have issued a reminder about their public domain petition, which has so far garnered close to 1,400 signatures.
The petition urges the Planning Authority to include 23 different sites in its list of recommended areas to be protected under a new Public Domain law.
Among the sites is Manoel Island, which last year was the subject of a bitter tug-of-war between development consortium Midi and activists who cut padlocks to provide public access to the foreshore.
Activists sparked controversy after they cut through fences at Manoel Island. Photo: Darrin Zammit LupiSites which are declared as being in the public domain will have increased protection at law and public access will be guaranteed, the two NGOs said in their statement.
READ: Wied Għomor will have to wait for public domain status
The Planning Authority is currently holding a public consultation exercise on the law before passing on its list of recommended sites in a report to Minister Ian Borg, whose portfolio also includes Lands. Parliament will have the final say on which sites are listed as being in the public domain.
"Supporting these sites' inclusion in the public domain means that these vast stretches of land and sites of historic heritage that contribute to the public's well-being will be provided a further layer of protection to ensure they are not only maintained and preserved today, but safeguarded for generations to come," the two NGOs said in a statement.
"Private property rights are not affected by the law, but owners may have to prove and clarify land ownership. This should hopefully clarify false claims of ownership and situations where public land was blocked abusively," they added.
The public consultation period ends on August 11. To sign the petition, visit the Friends of the Earth petition page.