Moviment Graffitti expresses its disgust at the encroachment by rental deckchairs operators on garigue land close to the Blue Lagoon in Comino — all with the blessing of the authorities. This move does not only run counter to the demands put forward by organisations and the public in the protests that took place last summer, but also exposes the weakness of ERA – the authority responsible for the safeguarding and conservation of Natura 2000 sites – and that of the Minister for the Environment, Miriam Dalli, in the face of commercial forces that are posing a very real threat to our natural heritage.

Last year, the government had promised the people of Malta and Gozo that this summer the situation in Comino was due to change. This promise came after numerous protests, displays of anger and actions by citizens who were fed up of seeing this natural reserve fall victim to over-commercialisation. The people were expecting to see real change in relation to the music played at high volumes, the big boats which disembark hundreds of tourists at a time, and the deckchairs that occupied every inch of the Blue Lagoon. While we welcomed the news that the jetty and the beach are now free of deckchairs, in the past few weeks many drew our attention to the new practice of placing rental deckchairs on protected garigue land in Comino, a Nature 2000 site. Not surprisingly, we found out that the ERA officers took no action when notified of this abuse.

It is unacceptable that, year after year, the public authorities remain subservient towards business interests, accepting the destruction of natural habitat on public land. We are holding the Minister for the Environment, Miriam Dalli, responsible for her complicity in the destruction of our natural environment.

Thus, Moviment Graffitti demands the immediate removal of deckchairs on garigue land, and that any request for a new concession is withdrawn by the applicant or categorically refused by the ERA and all the authorities involved in the process.

If the authorities do not act now to halt this destruction, the public will be forced to intervene and protect Comino from the forces of greed. It is clear that the people are fed up, and we are convinced that the fight for justice and common good will prevail over the greed of the privileged few.

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Blue Lagoon – L-ERA ma tiħux azzjoni kontra deckchairs illegali fuq ix-xagħri

Il-Moviment Graffitti jinsab diżgustat bl-espansjoni, bil-barka tal-awtoritajiet, tal-operaturi tad-deckchairs għal fuq ix-xagħri viċin il-Blue Lagoon f’Kemmuna. Dan mhux biss imur kontra t-talbiet tal-għaqdiet u l-pubbliku li saru matul il-protesti tas-sajf li għadda, iżda juri wkoll id-dgħufija tal-ERA, responsabbli mill-protezzjoni u konservazzjoni tas-siti Natura 2000, u tal-Ministru tal-Ambjent, Miriam Dalli, quddiem il-forzi kummerċjali li qed jheddu l-wirt naturali tagħna.

Sena ilu l-Gvern wiegħed lill-poplu Malti li matul is-sajf ta’ din is-sena l-affarijiet f’Kemmuna ser jinbidlu. Dan intqal wara sajf ta’ protesti, rabja u azzjonijiet minn ċittadini li xebgħu mill-kummerċalizzazzjoni esaġerata ta’ din ir-riserva naturali. Il-poplu Malti kien qed jistenna li jara bidla fir-rigward tal-mużika għolja, tal-konġestjoni ta’ turisti li jinġiebu b’vapuri kbar, u tad-deckchairs fuq kull roqgħa tal-Blue Lagoon. Filwaqt li lqajna l-aħbar li l-moll u l-bajja ġew liberati mill-operaturi tad-deckchairs, f’dawn l-aħħar ġimgħat bosta ġibdulna l-attenzjoni għall-prattika ġdida ta’ kiri tad-deckchairs fuq ix-xagħri protett ta’ Kemmuna, sit tan-Natura 2000. Ġib il-għaġeb, sirna nafu li l-uffiċjali tal-ERA ma ħadux azzjoni meta ġew avżati b’dan l-abbuż.

Huwa inaċċettabbli li sena wara sena l-awtoritajiet pubbliċi jibqgħu skjavi tal-interessi kummerċjali u jaċċettaw l-isfreġju ta’ ħabitat naturali fuq art pubblika. Aħna qed inżommu lill-Ministru għall-Ambjent, Miriam Dalli, responsabbli għall-kompliċità tagħha fil-qerda tal-ambjent naturali tagħna.

Għalhekk, il-Moviment Graffitti qed jistenna li dawn id-deckchairs fuq ix-xagħri jitneħħew b’mod immedjat u li kull talba għal konċessjoni ġdida tiġi rtirata mill-applikant jew rifjutata kategorikament mill-ERA u mill-awtoritajiet kollha involuti fil-proċess.

Jekk l-awtoritajiet mhumiex ser jieħdu azzjoni sabiex iwaqqfu dan l-isfreġju, il-pubbliku se jkun mġiegħel jintervjeni sabiex jipproteġi lil Kemmuna mill-forzi tar-regħba. Huwa ċar li l-poplu xeba’ u ninsabu konvinti li s-sewwa ser jirbaħ fuq ir-regħba tal-ħbieb tal-ħbieb.