Eight organisations are today announcing a national protest demanding urgent environmental and planning reform. The protest titled Xebbajtuna! Bidla fl-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar ISSA! will be held on Saturday 27 May 2023, starting from the Triton Fountain at 10.30am. 

Besides urging the general public to participate, the organisations are also inviting groups around Malta and Gozo, both formal and informal, to endorse the protest by sending an email on info@xebbajtuna.org or filling in the online form on the website www.xebbajtuna.org. Groups can include non-governmental organisations as well as residents, students, workers and farmers: all non-partisan groups whose aims are in line with the demands of the protest are invited to join. 

We are living in a state of emergency which threatens our personal and environmental well-being due to the reckless rates of construction on our islands. 

No space is free from greed: tall and dreary blocks of flats in urban centres, commercial buildings, villas and swimming pools in the middle of the countryside, towers in congested areas, construction encroachment on the island of Gozo, and an assault on the natural reserve of Comino. 

The people of Malta and Gozo are bearing the grave consequences of environmental devastation. Widespread environmental destruction is resulting in physical and mental health problems, in frustrated children who have nowhere to roam and a growing desire among young people to leave the country.

We are in this mess for one clear reason. Behind this wave of environmental destruction lies a web of politicians and developers who have created a system that serves the profit of the few instead of the common good.

In this national protest, the organisations will demand the following immediate actions:

1. to change planning policies – such as those allowing buildings on ODZ, the height and intensity of buildings, the height of hotels, and the scheduling of sites of historic interest and value – in order to stop the wave of construction that does not respect context, heritage, natural environment, farmers and residents;

2. to radically reform all institutions responsible for the environment, planning and lands, so that they start functioning in a serious and transparent manner and independently from politicians and businesses;

3. to build an economic model that seeks a better quality of life for everyone instead of endless economic growth based on the profits of the few. 

The organisations launching the protest are: Moviment Graffitti, Friends of the Earth Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Nature Trust Malta-FEE, Għawdix, BirdLife Malta and Ramblers’ Association Malta. 

---

Għaqdiet ambjentali jħabbru protesta nazzjonali għas-Sibt 27 ta’ Mejju

Tmien għaqdiet illum qegħdin iħabbru protesta nazzjonali li se tkun qed titlob għal bidla urġenti fl-ambjent u fl-ippjanar. Il-protesta, bl-isem ta’ Xebbajtuna! Bidla fl-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar ISSA!, se ssir is-Sibt 27 ta’ Mejju 2023 fl-10.30am, bil-punt ta’ tluq mill-Funtana tat-Tritoni.

L-għaqdiet mhux biss qed iħeġġu lill-pubbliku inġenerali biex jipparteċipa, iżda qed jistiednu wkoll lil gruppi madwar Malta u Għawdex, kemm formali u kif ukoll informali, biex jappoġġjaw il-protesta billi jibagħtu email fuq info@xebbajtuna.org jew jimlew il-formola online fuq is-sit www.xebbajtuna.org. Dawn il-gruppi jistgħu jinkludu għaqdiet mhux governattivi kif ukoll gruppi ta’ residenti, studenti, ħaddiema u bdiewa; kull grupp mingħajr affiljazzjoni partiġġjana b’għanijiet konformi mat-talbiet tal-protesta huwa mistieden jipparteċipa.

Ninsabu f’sitwazzjoni ta’ emerġenza li qed thedded il-benesseri personali tagħna u l-ambjent ta’ madwarna minħabba minħabba ferneżija ta’ bini bl-addoċċ u kullimkien.

L-ebda spazju mhu ħieles mill-ħakma tar-regħba: blokok għolja u koroh t’appartamenti fiċ-ċentri urbani, binjiet kummerċjali, vilel u pixxini f’nofs il-kampanja, torrijiet f’żoni kkonġestjonati, invażjoni ta’ kostruzzjoni fil-gżira Għawdxija u saħansitra assalt fuq ir-riserva naturali ta’ Kemmuna.

Il-poplu Malti u Għawdxi qiegħed iġarrab fuq ġildu l-konsegwenzi gravi tal-ħerba ambjentali. Il-qerda ambjentali mifruxa qed issarraf fi problemi ta’ saħħa fiżika u mentali, fi tfal imdejqin li m’għandhomx fejn jimirħu u fix-xewqa dejjem tikber fost iż-żgħażagħ li jitilqu minn pajjiżna.  

Dan kollu ma jiġix mix-xejn. Wara dan l-isfreġju ambjentali tinsab xibka magħmula minn politiċi u żviluppaturi li ħolqu sistema li sservi l-qligħ tal-ftit minflok il-ġid komuni.

F’din il-protesta nazzjonali, l-għaqdiet se jkunu qed jitolbu li minnufih jittieħdu l-azzjonijiet li ġejjin:

1. Jinbidlu l-politiki tal-ippjanar – bħal dawk li jippermettu l-bini fl-ODZ, l-għoli u l-intensità tal-bini, l-għoli tal-lukandi, u l-iskedar ta’ postijiet storiċi u ta’ valur – sabiex tieqaf il-mewġa ta’ kostruzzjoni li ma tirrispettax il-kuntest, il-wirt storiku, l-ambjent naturali, il-bdiewa u r-residenti. 

2. Titwettaq riforma radikali fl-istituzzjonijiet kollha responsabbli mill-ambjent, l-ippjanar u l-artijiet, sabiex dawn jibdew jaħdmu b’mod serju, trasparenti u indipendenti mill-politiċi u min-negozji.

3. Jinbena mudell ekonomiku li jfittex kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar għal kulħadd minflok tkabbir ekonomiku bla qies ibbażat fuq il-qligħ tal-ftit.

L-għaqdiet li qed isejħu din il-protesta huma: Moviment Graffitti, Friends of the Earth Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Nature Trust Malta-FEE, Għawdix, BirdLife Malta u Ramblers’ Association Malta.