The proposal for the extension of development zones was approved in Parliament on Wednesday evening following a heated debate. Although the Opposition Malta Labour Party enabled its parliamentary group to cast a free vote on the issue, all of its MPs present, 28, voted against. The thirty-three government MPs present voted in favour.
As members of the House of Representatives entered for the sitting to debate and vote on the proposal, a group of protestors gathered outside the Parliament in a last-ditch attempt block the taking-up of more land for building purposed. A number of NGO’s, and Alternattiva Demokratika were at the forefront of the protest. Last week a national protest was called against the development zones extension proposal. A few hundred people gathered in Valletta show their disapproval.
A public consultation launched in May drew to a close in July with the government presenting the revised proposal in Parliament. The public consultation was heavily criticized by various organizations including the Friend of Earth (FoE), the Alternattiva Demokratika and the Malta Chamber of Planners (MaCP).
Earlier this month Minister for Environment George Pullicino announced that the government revised the proposal for outside development zones. The Minister stated that through this revision the development zone will increase by 1.3%, from the presently existing one; including local plans such as the construction of new roads.
Last week, the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Audit Team revealed, in a letter to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) chairman, that there was no need to conduct a strategic impact assessment on areas outside development zones. The AD dubbed the certificate as "worthless" because according to the party "it makes a fundamental misinterpretation of the legal provision it quotes in its own support".
In turn, the legality of the extension of planning boundaries is being investigated by EU's Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, according to AD.
In a press conference on Wednesday AD’s Chairperson Dr Harry Vassallo welcomed the investigation and said that “only a government altogether out of synch with Malta's legal and political reality could propose and persist in an extension of planning boundaries as the Maltese government has done.
Harry Vassallo also criticized MLP’s decision to free vote on the proposal stating that "Only an Opposition also bound hand and foot to the development lobby could fail to condemn the blatant illegality proposed by government". MLP cast a free vote on the matter so that legislators could vote according to their own personal conscience rather than according to an official line set down by their political party.
See also:
AD dubs SEA certificate as "worthless"
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 24, 2006, 16:34 CET
MLP to free vote on development zones proposal
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 23, 2006, 17:46 CET
Protest against development zones proposal
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 19, 2006, 18:35 CET
Development zone boundaries revised
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 6, 2006, 21:41 CET
