A number of organisations are once again calling for the immediate reform of the absurd law on planning appeals, which currently allows construction works to begin and be completed even while an appeal is ongoing.

More than two years have passed since Prime Minister Robert Abela himself acknowledged the absurdity of this law and promised it would be reformed. And now, three more months have passed since Planning Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg pledged that the reform would be introduced within three months. Yet our country is still suffering the injustice of this grotesque law, which remains unchanged.

As it stands, the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT) can refuse requests to suspend construction while an appeal is underway. In no other sector does such absurdity exist — where a government authority’s decision becomes immediately executable even as it is being appealed. This legal absurdity is unique to the planning sector.

Because of this system, entire projects have been built by the time the appeal is decided. Massive developments that have wreaked havoc in our towns — such as in Qala and Sannat — were declared illegal by the courts after they had already been constructed.

The trampling over court decisions has now reached a new, unprecedented level. The Planning Authority (PA) has re-issued “sanctioning” permits for the same developments declared illegal by the highest court in our country. Not only did the authorities fail to take action to dismantle these illegal structures after their permits were revoked by the Court of Appeal — they even had the audacity to re-issue those very same permits.

The rule of law in Malta is being replaced by the rule of developers.

Right now, the PA’s case officer is recommending that an illegal building in Xewkija be granted a sanctioning permit (PA/07954/24, PA/01133/25, and PA/01155/25), even though its original permit was revoked by the Court in 2023 for breaching planning laws. Gozitan developer “il-Ġiegu” is submitting three separate applications for three blocks within the same apartment building in an attempt to have the illegal development sanctioned. The PA is expected to decide on these applications on 24 June and 1 July.

The organisations also stressed that the reform must protect justice and the common good. They expressed deep concern at indications that the reform may impose very short timeframes within which appeals must be decided. Any such timeframe must ensure that appeals can be effectively prepared and heard, so that the right to appeal is respected and no undue pressure is placed on institutions. Longer timeframes are essential for large-scale projects that require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

The proliferation of illegal buildings in this country — and the new practice of sanctioning them after court rulings — is severely undermining justice in Malta and crippling the public’s ability to participate democratically in the planning process.

We therefore call on the Prime Minister to immediately enact this basic and essential reform, and to stop sidelining our quality of life, undermining our courts, and sacrificing our islands to the forces of greed. 

Organisations
Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust Malta
Ramblers Association Malta
The Archaeological Society Malta
Wirt Għawdex

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Binjiet illegali, sistema imnawra: pajjiżna għadu jistenna r-riforma fl-appelli tal-ippjanar

Numru ta’ għaqdiet qed jerġgħu jsejħu għal riforma immedjata fil-liġi assurda tal-appelli fil-qasam tal-ippjanar, li attwalment tippermetti li x-xogħlijiet tal-kostruzzjoni jibdew u jitlestew waqt li jkun għaddej appell fuqhom.

Iktar minn sentejn wara li l-Prim Ministru Robert Abela nnifsu kien għaraf l-assurdità f’din il-liġi u wiegħed li se tiġi riformata — u wara li għaddew ukoll 3 xhur minn meta s-CEO tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar, Johann Buttigieg, kien wiegħed li r-riforma se tiddaħħal fi żmien 3 xhur — pajjiżna għadu jġarrab l-inġustizzja ta’ din il-liġi bażwija li baqgħet ma nbidlitx.

Fil-preżent, it-Tribunal ta’ Reviżjoni tal-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar (EPRT) jista’ jagħżel li jirrifjuta t-talba għal sospensjoni tax-xogħlijiet ta’ kostruzzjoni sakemm ikun għaddej l-appell. Fl-ebda sfera oħra ma teżisti l-assurdità li deċiżjoni ta’ awtorità tal-Gvern issir immedjatament eżegwibbli, anki waqt li jkun għaddej appell. Dan jeżisti biss fil-qasam tal-ippjanar

Minħabba din l-assurdità kellna proġetti sħaħ li laħqu nbnew sakemm inqata’ l-appell. Proġetti massiċċi li ħallew ħerba fl-irħula tagħna — bħal dawk ġewwa l-Qala u s-Sannat — ġew iddikjarati illegali mill-Qorti meta kienu diġà laħqu nbnew.

It-tkasbir tad-deċiżjonijiet tal-Qorti, iżda, laħaq livell ieħor bla preċedent meta l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar (PA) reġgħet ħarġet permessi ta’ “sanzjonar” għall-istess żviluppi li kienu ġew iddikjarati illegali mill-ogħla Qorti ta’ pajjiżna. Mhux biss l-awtoritajiet ma ħadu ebda azzjoni biex strutturi illegali jiġu żarmati wara li l-permess tagħhom ġie revokat mill-Qorti tal-Appell, iżda saħansitra reġgħet ħarġitilhom l-istess permess.

Is-saltna tad-dritt f’pajjiżna qed tiġi sostitwita mis-saltna tal-iżviluppaturi.

Propju bħalissa, il-case officer tal-PA qed jirrakkomanda li binja illegali fix-Xewkija joħorġilha permess ta’ sanzjonar (PA/07954/24, PA/01133/25, u PA/01155/25) wara li l-permess oriġinali tagħha tħassar mill-Qorti fl-2023 għaliex imur kontra l-liġijiet tal-ippjanar. L-iżviluppatur Għawdxi “il-Ġiegu” qed jippreżenta 3 applikazzjonijiet separati għal 3 blokok fi ħdan l-istess binja ta’ appartamenti biex il-binja illegali tiġi ssanzjonata. Id-deċizjonijiet mistennija li jittieħdu mill-PA fl-24 ta’ Ġunju u fl-1 ta’ Lulju.

L-għaqdiet tennew ukoll li r-riforma għandha tħares il-ġustizzja u l-ġid komuni. Huma esprimew it-tħassib tagħhom għal indikazzjonijiet li r-riforma taf timponi perjodi ta’ żmien qosra ħafna li fihom iridu jinqatgħu l-appelli. Kwalunkwe perjodu ta’ żmien impost irid jassigura li l-appell ikun jista’ jitħejja u jiġi mismugħ b’mod effettiv, sabiex id-dritt li wieħed jappella jkun irrispettat u ma tinħoloqx pressjoni żejda fuq l-istituzzjonijiet. Għandu wkoll ikun hemm perjodi itwal għal proġetti massivi li għalihom ikun sar Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Il-proliferazzjoni ta’ binjiet illegali f’pajjiżna, u l-prattika ġdida li dawn jiġu ssanzjonati wara li jitħassrilhom il-permess mill-Qorti, qed ixejnu l-ġustizzja f’pajjiżna u l-kapaċità tal-poplu li jipparteċipa b’mod demokratiku fil-proċess tal-ippjanar.

Għalhekk nappellaw lill-Prim Ministru biex idaħħal minnufih riforma daqstant bażika u essenzjali, u biex ma jkomplix iwarrab il-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna, jimmina l-Qorti, u jissagrifika l-gżejjer tagħna għall-forzi tar-regħba.

Għaqdiet
Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura
BirdLife Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Friends of the Earth Malta
Għawdix
Moviment Graffitti
Nature Trust Malta
Ramblers Association Malta
The Archaeological Society Malta
Wirt Għawdex