FoE Malta condemns the unfounded harsh criticism on environmental activists, including of one of its Board members, in the latest tirade by Valletta Cultural Agency’s head Jason Micallef.

The activists featured in “Malta: A Concrete Paradise”[1] , are some of the most active citizens involved in various environmental NGOs, dedicating their lives fighting to protect open spaces and safeguarding our wellbeing from the opportunistic greed of contractors who for decades have been fattening their pockets at the expense of our collective quality of life.

Unfortunately, the facts are there for all to see and the picture presented by Arté’s production on Malta’s concrete paradise is evident in every town, village and ODZ – denying this reality is nothing but hypocritical.
The fixation of government officials about bruising Malta’s reputation simply exposes their inferiority complex and parochialism. Labelling every act of dissent as treason is a dangerous discourse which deliberately ostracises activists and makes them a target of public anger.

FoE Malta expressed solidarity with all the activists involved, calling on the Prime Minister and the Minister for the Environment to disassociate themselves from Micallef’s comments. Condoning this statement would contradict the intention for a “mature discussions on environmental and planning issues” [2] the Minister for the Environment was recently promoting.

Notes:

[1] https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/103802-002-A/malta-a-concrete-paradise/

[2] https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2021-05-05/local-news/Malta-needs-mature-discussion-on-the-environment-Aaron-Farrugia-6736233219