Friends of the Earth Malta together with several NGOs and individuals have filed a judicial protest against Minister Ian Borg, Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius and the Lands Authority for authorising an agreement which would see large tracts of land at L-Ahrax and Mizieb being granted to the FKNK under some form of concessionary agreement.
The NGOs slammed the decision to grant such a concession as one which is characterised by a lack of transparency, and a lack of consultation with members of the public whose enjoyment of the countryside will now be curtailed.
The NGOs emphasised the fact that the hunting season effectively spans a period of some 9 months, during which families and persons who are not hunters will be prohibited from entering the l-Ahrax and Mizieb areas granted to FKNK.
The NGOs condemned the granting of the concession as an agreement which would further reward the perpetrators of illegalities carried out on these same sites whilst penalising law-abiding users of the countryside.
Public land is being disposed of in an arbitrary way and for inappropriate reasons, resulting in an abuse of power. A concession of this scale should have necessitated a competitive process indicating clear terms and objectives to be achieved.
The NGOs demanded that the respondents Minister Ian Borg, Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius and the Lands Authority to desist from the granting of any concession which does not safeguard the rights of all other users of the countryside, who may be negatively affected by such an agreement.
Signed: Ramblers’ Association of Malta, Birdlife Malta, Din L-Art Helwa, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust (Malta), Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Bicycle Advocacy Group, Prof. Edward Mallia, Dr. Christine Bellizzi, Dr. Claire Bonello
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Għaqdiet ambjentali jifthu azzjoni legali dwar il-ftehim tal-Aħrax u l-Miżieb
Numru ta’ għaqdiet ambjentali u individwi oħra għamlu protest ġudizzjarju indirizzat lill-Ministru Ian Borg, is-Segretarju Parlamentari Chris Agius u l-Awtorita’ tal-Artijiet talli awtorizzaw ftehim li bih il-Gvern sejjer jagħti medded ta’ art kbar lill-FKNK taħt xi forma ta’ konċessjoni.
L-għaqdiet saħqu li dan il-ftehim huwa nieqes mhux biss mit-trasparenza iżda ukoll mill-konsultazzjoni ma dawk li jagħmlu użu ta’ rikreazzjoni mill-kampanja, li issa sejrin jaraw it-tgawdija tagħhom titnaqqar serjament minn dan il-ftehm.
L-għaqdiet jemfasiżżaw li l-istaġun tal-kaxxa effettivament idum 9 xhur, u li dawk il-familji u individwi li m’humiex kaċċaturi sejrin ikunu qegħdin jiġu imċaħħda milli jidħlu fl-Aħrax u fil-Miżieb waqt dawn iż-żminijiet.
L-għaqdiet ikkundannaw dan il-ftehim għaliex jemmnu li dan sejjer ikompli jippremja lil dawk li jwettqu l-illegalitajiet f’dawn is-siti, waqt li fl-istess hin jikkstigaw lil dawk li jgawdu l-kampanja waqt li jobdu l-liġi.
L-art pubblika qegħda tingħata b’mod arbitrarju u għal raġunijiet mhux xierqa, u dan allura jirriżulta f’abbuż ta’ poter. Konċessjoni fuq din l-iskala kienet teħtieġ proċess kompettittiv b’termini u objettivi ċari.
Għaldaqstant l-għaqdiet ambjentali qegħdin jitolbu lill-Ministru Ian Borg, lis-Segretarju Parlamentari Chris Agius u lill-Awtorita’ tal-Artijiet sabiex joqgħodu lura milli jilħqu xi ftehim fuq dawn iż-żewġ inħawi mingħir ma jħarsu id-drittijiet ta’ dawk li bħalissa jgawdu l-aċċess għall-kampanja.
Iffirmat: Ramblers’ Association of Malta, Birdlife Malta, Din L-Art Helwa, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust (Malta), Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Bicycle Advocacy Group, Prof. Edward Mallia, Dr. Christine Bellizzi, Dr. Claire Bonello