‘Grim Reapers’ Protest Proposed Planning Package

As Parliament reopened after the summer recess, the Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign staged a demonstration outside the building to protest the Government’s proposed planning package.

Dozens of citizens, dressed as grim reapers, symbolised the impact of planning bills 143 and 144 and three accompanying legal notices.

Campaigners argued that these measures would hand unchecked power to the Planning Authority, make it nearly impossible for the public to challenge its decisions, and grant a blanket amnesty for all planning and environmental abuses in Malta and Gozo.

The coffin carried during the protest was a symbol of what participants described as the death of quality of life, democracy, and social justice. Other reapers represented greed and the dominance of developers, which activists said were driving the legislation.

Critics warned that the package would enable destructive projects in ODZs, urban conservation areas, and sites of cultural or historical importance, stripping citizens of their right to appeal and even reducing the role of the courts.

Organisers dismissed the Government’s consultation process as a sham, noting that a promotional campaign for the laws was already underway.

A national protest calling for the immediate withdrawal of the proposals will be held on Saturday 4 October in Valletta.

#MaltaDaily