Moviment Graffitti

19/06/2026

Ilbieraħ il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela impenja ruħu li jdaħħal ir-riforma fl-appelli tal-ippjanar matul l-ewwel mitt jum ta’ din il-leġiżlatura.

⚠️ Filwaqt li nilqgħu din il-wegħda, nittamaw li issa jibda proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni ġenwina. Fuq kollox, nisperaw li din ir-riforma tant meħtieġa ma terġax tintuża bħala Żiemel ta’ Trojja għal bidliet legali usa’ kontra l-poplu u l-ambjent tiegħu.

Għaliex qed ngħidu hekk?

Ilna mill-2023 niġu mwiegħda din ir-riforma fl-appelli tant bażika u ovvja. Bħalissa, waqt li jkun għaddej appell kontra deċiżjoni tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar, l-iżviluppatur jista’ jibda jibni, minkejja l-fatt li dak il-permess qed jiġi kkontestat fil-qrati.

Ir-riżultat huwa li binijiet sħaħ jilħqu jitlestew abbażi ta’ permessi mhux definittivi, li ta’ spiss jiġu mħassra mill-qrati.

Matul dawn is-snin il-Gvern kien jgħidilna li qed jaħdem fuq riforma fl-appelli, iżda ripetutament irrifjuta li jurina l-abbozz tagħha. Imbagħad, f’Lulju tal-2025, sibna ma’ wiċċna l-hekk imsejħa “riforma” fl-ippjanar li kienet se tkisser is-salvagwardji kollha li fadallu l-poplu kontra r-regħba tal-iżviluppaturi.

🚨 L-Abbozz 144 kien eżerċizzju fil-qerq. Filwaqt li taparsi kien se jissospendi x-xogħlijiet ta’ bini waqt li jkun għaddej appell, kien qiegħed ukoll ikisser id-dritt għall-appell innifsu, billi, fost affarijiet oħrajn 👇

❌ Jagħmilha impossibbli għaċ-ċittadin komuni li jappella d-deċiżjonijiet imħassra tal-PA. Dan billi ma jħallix l-appell isir abbażi tal-liġijiet u l-politiki kollha tal-ippjanar li nkisru, imma biss abbażi ta’ dawk il-punti tekniċi li tkun elenkajt f’oġġezzjoni, waqt li l-applikazzjoni kienet għadha qed tiġi pproċessata.

❌ It-theddida ta’ €5,000 multa jekk it-Tribunal iqis l-appell tiegħek frivolu u vessatorju.

❌ It-tneħħija tas-setgħa tal-Qorti li tħassar permess illegali.

Il-kampanja Ġustizzja għal Artna saħqet li din kienet lista tax-xewqat tal-iżviluppaturi, moħbija b’mod qarrieq taħt riforma li konna ilna snin nitolbu.

🟠 Nittamaw li din id-darba l-Gvern iniedi riforma tal-appelli ġenwina u fl-interess tal-poplu. Aħna, flimkien mal-għaqdiet l-oħra, ninsabu lesti biex nagħtu l-kontribut tagħna għal bidla li twassal għal iktar ġustizzja f’artna.

Iżda ninsabu lesti wkoll li nkomplu l-ġlieda tagħna kontra kolp ta’ stat mill-iżviluppaturi, jekk dak li ġara f’Lulju tas-sena li għaddiet, jirrepeti ruħu din id-darba wkoll.

Read in English in the comments below.

18/06/2026

Konna wissejna li l-politika dwar il-krematorji li ħarġet l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar kienet kompletament żbaljata u perikoluża għaliex se twassal għal mewġa t’applikazzjonijiet għal bini fil-kampanja Maltija.

⚠️ Hekk ġara. Fosthom insibu din l-applikazzjoni fis-Siġġiewi, li qed tfittex li teqred ir-raba’ u ttella’ binja ħdejn iċ-ċimiterju storiku tar-raħal.

Dejjem insistejna li, sabiex ikun żgurat is-servizz tal-krematorji, u sabiex jiġi mħares l-ambjent minn żvilupp spekulattiv, krematorju għandu jkun hawn wieħed biss, mibni u operat mill-Gvern.

Dan il-prinċipju kien ġie rikonoxxut snin qabel, waqt li l-Gvern kien fil-proċess li jdaħħal il-liġi dwar il-krematorji. Dak iż-żmien kien ħareġ ċar li f’Malta m’hawnx domanda biżżejjed għal iktar minn krematorju wieħed, bir-riżultat li jekk ikun hawn iktar minn wieħed, dawn ma jibqgħux sostenibbli.

Għalhekk politika tal-PA li tħeġġeġ lill-privat jibni l-krematorji fl-ODZ ma tagħmel ebda sens.

🔴 Għandkom ċans toġġezzjonaw għall-krematorju fl-ODZ tas-Siġġiewi sa nhar il-Ġimgħa, 19 ta’ Ġunju, billi tibagħtu email fuq [email protected]. Fis-suġġett, niżżlu n-numru tal-applikazzjoni: PA/07540/25

Tistgħu tużaw it-test t’hawn taħt fl-oġġezzjoni tagħkom.

*****

I strongly object to application PA/07540/25 for the proposed crematorium and columbarium at Ta’ Brija, Siġġiewi, as it would result in inappropriate development on ODZ land and set a precedent that could contribute to the gradual erosion and loss of Malta’s rural areas.

1. Non-Compliance with ODZ and Crematoria Policy

The proposed site is located on ODZ land within a rural agricultural area. While certain ODZ crematoria may be permitted under the Policy and Design Guidance for the Development of Standalone Crematoria, including where they are located within 200 metres of an existing cemetery, Point 7.4.10 of the policy also states that such facilities should not be located on agricultural land.

Approval of this development would create a precedent and a potential loophole whereby similar developments could be justified on agricultural ODZ land adjacent to cemeteries elsewhere in Malta. This would undermine the protection of rural areas and intensify the gradual spread of development into the countryside.

Policy conflicts:
- SPED 2015 protects ODZ land and promotes the concentration of development within or close to existing urban areas.
- The Policy and Design Guidance for the Development of Standalone Crematoria prohibits the location of such developments on agricultural land.
- The Development Planning Act requires sustainable land use and seeks to limit unnecessary development in rural ODZ areas.

2. Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Sensitivity

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) has confirmed that the site lies within an area of high archaeological sensitivity, with a historic cemetery and recorded tombs located in the vicinity. The proposed development would adversely affect the setting and context of this historically sensitive area.

Policy conflicts:
- The Cultural Heritage Act (Cap. 445) safeguards archaeological and cultural heritage assets.
- Planning policies require the protection of historic landscapes, archaeological remains, and cemetery heritage.

3. Unacceptable Impact on the Environment and Landscape

The proposed development would introduce built structures, formal landscaped gardens, parking facilities, and substantial land take-up within a sensitive rural landscape. Furthermore, the fact that heritage authorities have requested photomontages and 3D visualisations indicates that the visual impact assessment remains incomplete.

Policy conflicts:
- SPED 2015 and the Rural Policy and Design Guidance (RPDG) 2014 require planning decisions to protect ODZ landscapes from inappropriate development.

For these reasons, I urge the Planning Authority to refuse application PA/07540/25 in order to protect agricultural ODZ land in Siġġiewi and safeguard Malta’s rural environment from inappropriate development.

18/06/2026

"And again, it was environmental organisations, residents’ groups and citizens who managed to press the brakes on controversial planning laws last year.

There is strength in numbers and when those numbers speak in one unified voice against decisions impacting the common good they can force change."

The forces driving overdevelopment win when people retreat into cynicism and disengagement

17/06/2026

👋 See you on Saturday for a creative workshop for migrant families and their friends in Valletta: ART CONNECT - Event for all migrant families

17/06/2026

Mijiet diġà oġġezzjonaw għal applikazzjoni minn negozjanti prominenti li jridu jieħdu x-xatt u l-baħar pubbliku sabiex jibnu lido privat.

Għandek sad-19 ta' Ġunju sabiex toġġezzjona għal din il-ħniżrija fil-Gżira u tas-Sliema.

📝 Ibgħat email lill-PA fuq [email protected] u fis-suġġett niżżel in-numru tal-applikazzjoni: PA/03174/26

Jekk trid, tista' tuża t-test t'hawn taħt fl-oġġezzjoni tiegħek.

*****

I object to PA/03174/26 for the following reasons:

1. The proposed development is in an area that is already extremely congested with both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, as well as businesses (including catering establishments, food trucks and cruise operators, just to name a few) taking up large areas of the promenade and pavements. Such a development in a location like this is unsustainable.

2. The development in question directly conflicts with Policy NHRL01 of the North Harbour Local Plan, which designates this stretch of the promenade as a public open space. Furthermore, under the Public Domain Act, the first 15 m of the foreshore are public domain.

3. The site in question is designated as an Area of High Landscape Value (ALHV). This area of the shore is currently enjoyed by pedestrians, swimmers, fishers, families, and many others as an open space in an extremely built-up city. Such a development would compromise this landscape value and the value provided to the public, as well as running counter to the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED) Coastal Objective 1 and 3.

4. In addition to eroding the landscape value, the project would partially obstruct views of Valletta from the public. The site falls within the proposed UNESCO Buffer Zone of the Valletta World Heritage Site. UNESCO has already warned against extensive commercial development in this area. This also runs counter to SPED Coastal Objective 1.

5. Land reclamation projects such as the one proposed risk damaging Posidonia Oceanica meadows, a Priority Habitat protected under the EU Habitats Directive.

Approving such a development, running counter to so many policies, laws, directives and plans as described above, sets a dangerous precedent for giving up our coastal areas to commercial development in places where the land is already saturated. The foundations for this precedent have already been set by the acceptance of PA/03932/15 down the promenade. The PA should not build upon this further, and should not allow such unsustainable development to become the norm in any context.

For the reasons listed above, I demand a full refusal of PA/03174/26 by the PA.

16/06/2026

Kudos to the Malta Ranger Unit for forcing action on this blatant illegality. But why does it take public pressure to trigger action?

We have a totally broken system where systemic enforcement is purposely non-existent.

Earlier this year, in April, the Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign put forward four basic demands to fix our broken planning system. Two of these concerned enforcement:

🟠 Rules must be enacted to ensure that illegal developments are physically removed. The Planning Authority must enforce removal, either directly or through the party responsible for the illegality, at their own expense.

🟠 The sanctioning of illegal structures in ODZ that were constructed after 2008, and which cannot be approved as minor amendments, should be prohibited.

We're still awaiting the Government's reaction to these proposals.

💪🏽 When we say that the real change is created by the people, we mean it... ⬇️

The case of the Armier Villa (MR-1678) will now be closed in our system with a very welcomed status: Demolished.

🙏🏽 We wish to thank the general Public and the Civil Society for the great contribution, putting pressure on the Government.

⚠️ This is not a sign that the system works. This is a sign that the system has to change. We shouldn't have to fight to protect nature...

💪🏽 Let this be one of many more cases to come, where we hold the offenders accountable and the system scrutinized.

Onto the next one.

✅ You can support our NGO and help us put more Ranger boots on the ground! Become a member today, invest in nature!

⬇️⬇️⬇️

https://www.rangers.mt/support/private-membership

⬆️⬆️⬆️

📸 MaltaToday

Full article:
https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/142585/armier_illegal_development_being_taken_down_after_months_of_reports

15/06/2026

Join us for ART CONNECT, a creative workshop for migrant families and their friends during Refugee Week!

🎨 Come hang out, connect with like-minded people, and spend a day doing what you love most.

📍 Francesco Laparelli Gardens, Valletta
📅 Saturday 20th June, 2 – 7 PM

14/06/2026

Moviment Graffitti''s Andre Callus, actively involved in the group’s campaign against over-commercialisation in Comino, was hardly surprised by the “severe overcrowding” witnessed by TheShiftNews.

“A so-called ‘cap’ was, just as we had immediately warned, ineffective, as it fails to address the real problem at the Blue Lagoon: unbridled commercial activity,” Callus said.

The new rules for the island allow a maximum of 12,000 people per day, with a cap of 4,000 on the beach and in the surrounding lagoon simultaneously.

Callus also noted that the system did not curb the practice of large boats ferrying tourists from coastal localities such as Buġibba and Sliema to the fragile environment of the Blue Lagoon.

“The result of this unwillingness to curb commercial operations within a nature reserve is that, already in May and June, the Blue Lagoon and its surroundings are packed with thousands of tourists, causing serious harm to the area’s ecology and undermining the public’s enjoyment of this place,” Callus added.

Consensus among activists on Comino has long been established. They argue that the government must outright prohibit mass tourism operations in Comino.

A visit to Comino on Saturday found that despite tighter controls on visitor numbers at the Blue Lagoon, overcrowding and commercial activity continue to

11/06/2026

Wara li belgħu l-art, issa jridu jaħtfu l-kosta u l-baħar tagħna.

🔴 Grupp ta’ negozjanti prominenti Maltin applikaw sabiex jibnu lido mostruż fuq ix-xatt pubbliku bejn il-Gżira u tas-Sliema, li se jeqred ukoll parti mdaqqsa mill-baħar.

Barra li fil-prinċipju tagħha din l-applikazzjoni hija espressjoni ta’ regħba bla qies – għaliex qatt m’għandu jiġi kkapparat l-ispazju pubbliku għall-qligħ privat – hija wkoll ġennata totali meta tqis il-kuntest taż-żona.

Il-Gżira u tas-Sliema diġà huma mifqugħin b’attività kummerċjali mhux sostenibbli. Żvilupp ta’ din ix-xorta se jkompli joħnoq lil din iż-żona u jimbotta barra lill-pubbliku minnha sabiex jistagħnew il-ftit.

📝 Inħeġġukom toġġezzjonaw billi tibagħtu email lill-PA, sad-19 ta’ Ġunju, fuq [email protected]. Fis-suġġett tal-email, niżżlu n-numru tal-applikazzjoni: PA/03174/26

Jekk tridu, tistgħu tużaw it-test t’hawn taħt fl-oġġezzjoni tagħkom.

*****

I object to PA/03174/26 for the following reasons:

1. The proposed development is in an area that is already extremely congested with both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, as well as businesses (including catering establishments, food trucks and cruise operators, just to name a few) taking up large areas of the promenade and pavements. Such a development in a location like this is unsustainable.

2. The development in question directly conflicts with Policy NHRL01 of the North Harbour Local Plan, which designates this stretch of the promenade as a public open space. Furthermore, under the Public Domain Act, the first 15 m of the foreshore are public domain.

3. The site in question is designated as an Area of High Landscape Value (ALHV). This area of the shore is currently enjoyed by pedestrians, swimmers, fishers, families, and many others as an open space in an extremely built-up city. Such a development would compromise this landscape value and the value provided to the public, as well as running counter to the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development (SPED) Coastal Objective 1 and 3.

4. In addition to eroding the landscape value, the project would partially obstruct views of Valletta from the public. The site falls within the proposed UNESCO Buffer Zone of the Valletta World Heritage Site. UNESCO has already warned against extensive commercial development in this area. This also runs counter to SPED Coastal Objective 1.

5. Land reclamation projects such as the one proposed risk damaging Posidonia Oceanica meadows, a Priority Habitat protected under the EU Habitats Directive.

Approving such a development, running counter to so many policies, laws, directives and plans as described above, sets a dangerous precedent for giving up our coastal areas to commercial development in places where the land is already saturated. The foundations for this precedent have already been set by the acceptance of PA/03932/15 down the promenade. The PA should not build upon this further, and should not allow such unsustainable development to become the norm in any context.

For the reasons listed above, I demand a full refusal of PA/03174/26 by the PA.

08/06/2026

Located off the coast of Sicily, Malta has suffered record draughts in recent years, and is highly vulnerable to desertification, which is aggravated by intensive urbanization.

"This stratospheric level of growth has an impact on everything; on land, on the sea, on quality of life, and on inequalities because it creates a lot of wealth for some," Andre Callus said.

Farmer Annalisa Schembri is battling to save a wheat field from developers in Malta, where a construction boom is engulfing lands and villages, with even historic UNESCO sites in jeopardy.