Protest During Monday’s Budget Against Planning Reforms

Activist group Moviment Graffitti has called for a national protest under the campaign Ġustizzja għal Artna, urging the public to gather on Monday 27 October at 5:30pm.

In a video ahead of the protest, Moviment Graffitti head Andre Callus issued a statement to urge anyone who can attend to do so, saying that these reforms are not ‘business as usual.’

He said that the protest will be held during the Budget for a reason, and clarified that it will only intensify afterwards if nothing is done to repeal the reforms.

Callus said that he knows of many people, including politicians, who are against the reforms and that the plans only serve contractors and the government.

The demonstration will begin at the Law Courts and proceed to Parliament, coinciding with the presentation of Malta’s national Budget.

The group says the protest is a response to what it describes as dangerous planning reforms proposed by the government.

These include two planning bills and three legal notices, which the organisation argues would dismantle existing protections against overdevelopment, weaken the public’s right to appeal illegal planning decisions, and reduce the Court’s power to revoke unlawful permits.

Moviment Graffitti also claims that the new measures would introduce a blanket amnesty for illegal construction carried out up to last year.

#MaltaDaily