Twelve illegal billboards and commercial signage was removed by the Planning Authority. 

The structures were removed from Qormi, Msida, Kappara, Swieqi and Pembroke, the PA said in a statement on Saturday. The Planning Authority direct action team in co-ordination with the police and the private sector removed the illegalities from various sites situated on private property and public spaces. 

The billboards were removed in an enforcement action in line with Legal Notice 36 of 2018 which came into effect on February 2. These revised regulations facilitate the control of illegal billboards by the Planning Authority and other competent authorities.

On Thursday, the PA said the number of billboards without a permit does not exceed 40, and action is underway to remove them.

This direct action follows the removal of six billboards last week, and is part of a planned clean-up exercise, the authority said. 

Anger was sparked last week over the removal of three billboards calling for justice over the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. The activists insisted they had not broken any laws when they rented licensed billboard space for their messages, and that they had been assured the billboards had the necessary permits.

Read: Caruana Galizia billboards removed, sparking protests of 'vile act of suppression'

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