Harassment of Environmental Activists?

 

Birdlife Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA), Friends of the Earth (Malta), GAIA Foundation, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement (MOAM) and Ramblers Association of Malta condemn the recent media attacks on environmental activists Astrid Vella, FAA Coordinator, and Lino Bugeja, President of the Ramblers Association of Malta. As Mr Bugeja has already stated, his purchase of half a tomna of an agricultural field 40 years ago in no way indicates any attempt on his part to develop it, as was alleged on public service television recently. Mr Bugeja has never applied for a permit to build on this land, which remains untouched to this day, and has clearly stated that he has no intention of developing this field.

As regards the allegations regarding Ms Astrid Vella’s application to construct a small pool on the terrace of a block of flats built with regular permits years earlier, the attached photo clearly shows that the building formed part of a cluster of old buildings on the outskirts of Xaghra. Ms Vella’s 1998 application was refused and she did not appeal. Astrid Vella has not been the owner of this property for many years. At no point did Ms Vella or members of her family apply for a pool or house in fields or on virgin land, as is being claimed. Furthermore these allegations fail to justify (as they appear to have been intended to do) the violation of the Bahrija site which is protected by the highest level of EU protection which allows no structures other than essential community facilities.

The six NGOs also deplore the fact that, while MEPA is usually very careful about what information is disclosed to the public, Ms Vella’s file has been traced to persons at MEPA who had no legitimate reason to be viewing it or, more seriously, retaining it. Such unethical practice has, in the past, led to leaks or possible misuse of sensitive information and also to files being ‘lost’, as was the case with one of the Bahrija application files. Mr. Austin Walker in his capacity as Chairman and CEO of MEPA, and therefore directly responsible for MEPA’s day-to-day functioning, should investigate both the loss of the Bahrija file, as well as the improper access of the Astrid Vella file.

While such abusive treatment should not be meted out to any environmental activist, it is pertinent to note that these groups do not receive any form of local or EU funding and both activists in question work on a voluntary basis. This campaign of ongoing harassment is in violation of the Aarhus Convention which specifically precludes such abuse and similar other base attempts to gag those who speak about embarrassing truths.

The harassment of those who seek to protect the environment contrasts strongly with pre-election promises that the environment was to be granted the highest level of protection. It is also an alarming regression in Malta’s democracy and a serious threat to citizens’ fundamental right to freedom of speech. Moreover, it is a despicable attempt to distract the public from the more serious issues which the nation is currently facing.