Urgent environmental enforcement reforms needed in Malta and Gozo

Malta’s natural heritage is under increasing threat from illegal activities, weak enforcement, and legislative loopholes that continue to undermine environmental protection. While over 30% of the Maltese Islands have been designated as Natura 2000 sites in accordance with EU obligations, many of these areas remain unprotected in practice. Bird poaching, illegal fishing, waste dumping, and the destruction of protected flora are still occurring regularly and with near impunity

Momentum committee members Natasha Azzopardi and Katya Compagno recently joined the Malta Ranger Unit on patrol, where they witnessed firsthand the systemic gaps in environmental enforcement. The rangers, who operate as a donation-funded NGO, work tirelessly around the clock, focusing on public education, monitoring, and reporting environmental crimes. Despite their efforts, the challenges they face expose major structural weaknesses that demand urgent reform.

Natasha Azzopardi said, “The Environmental Protection Unit Police does not operate 24 hours, there is no unit in Gozo, and officers lack essential tools such as drones and cameras to effectively monitor offenders. In Gozo, the district police handle these cases however they are not trained for it. Night-time enforcement is almost non-existent, leaving vast areas unprotected when a lot of environmental violations occur.” 

Azzopardi also highlighted the similar situation at sea, where agencies such as Transport Malta and the Fisheries Department lack the necessary resources and equipment to monitor marine environments effectively, particularly during the busy summer months when illegal activity peaks. As a result, marine Natura 2000 sites and protected coastal zones are often left exposed and vulnerable to damaging activities due to the lack of enforcement. Without enforcement, these cases aren’t part of the statistics hence not known, but still happening.

Momentum calls for the urgent establishment of an Environmental Protection Unit Police in Gozo, extended working hours in Malta, better equipment, stronger laws, and more resources to protect Malta’s most vulnerable natural sites and animal welfare.

In addition to the need for structural reform, rangers are also facing personal risks without proper legal protection even though the Minister for Environment Miriam Dalli is aware of this. Katya Compagno noted that in multiple court cases, rangers have received direct threats from poachers. “These threats, often made in the public spaces , have been heard in Court but with the offenders receiving mild sentences, followed by silence from the Minister of Environment. Rangers deserve to be able to carry out their duty safely and to be respected, particularly in judicial settings.”

During their experience with the rangers, Azzopardi and Compagno witnessed their tireless, ongoing efforts to protect the environment from fires, irresponsible waste disposal  and to safeguard the shearwater known as Il-Garnija. Malta is home to 10% of the Mediterranean population of this bird which nests on our coasts and only lays one egg a year. During the hatching season, chicks are especially vulnerable to disorientation caused by excessive lighting from vessels,a violation in nesting zones where only minimal lighting is permitted. 

Another key concern is the lack of educational signage in protected areas.While some local councils have partnered with rangers to install informative signs, many areas still lack proper guidance. “We question why signs have been removed or never installed in the first place. Public awareness is crucial, and the respective laws and fines should be clearly displayed to encourage responsible behavior,” Compagno said.

The rangers also stressed the importance of collaboration between local authorities, vessel operators, and the wider community. Improved communication, consistent monitoring, and accountability for repeat offenders are essential. Public awareness campaigns,especially during critical periods such as the Il-Garnija hatching season,can help protect Malta’s unique biodiversity and foster a culture of environmental responsibility.

Momentum joins the Malta Ranger Unit in calling for immediate, meaningful reform to safeguard the islands’ fragile ecosystems before more irreversible damage is done.

Ħtieġa ta’ riformi urġenti fl-infurzar ambjentali f’Malta u Għawdex

Il-wirt naturali ta’ Malta jinsab taħt theddida kontinwa, sforz attivitajiet illegali, infurzar dgħajjef u lakuni fil-liġi li jkomplu jrażżnu l-protezzjoni ambjentali. Minkejja li aktar minn terz tal-Gżejjer Maltin huma ddikjarati bħala siti Natura 2000 b’konformità mal-obbligi imposti mill- Unjoni Ewropea, ħafna minn dawn iż-żoni jibqgħu prattikament mingħajr protezzjoni effettiva. Dawn l-attivitajiet huma kkaratterizzati minn kaċċa illegali tal-għasafar, sajd bla permess, rimi ta’ skart u qerda ta’ flora protetta, li għadhom iseħħu b’mod regolari u, f’ħafna mill-każijiet, mingħajr rimedjisuffiċjenti. 

Il-membri tal-Partit Momentum, Natasha Azzopardi u Katya Compagno, riċentement ingħaqdu mal-Malta Ranger Unit waqt pattulja ukienu xhieda diretta tal-lakuni sistematiċi fl-infurzar tal-liġijiet ambjentali. Din l-organizzazzjoni volontarja tiddependi fuq id-donazzjonijiet, u taħdem bla heda lejl u nhar fil-qasam tal-edukazzjoni pubblika, il-monitoraġġ u r-rappurtar ta’ reati ambjentali. Minkejja l-impenn tal-membri fi ħdan din l-organizzazzjoni, l-isfidi li jiltaqgħu magħhom juru biċ- ċar diversi nuqqasijiet strutturali li jeħtieġu riforma immedjata u sostanzjali.

Natasha Azzopardi saħqet li “Il-Pulizija fi ħdan il-Protezzjoni Ambjentali ma toperax 24 siegħa kuljum, m’hemm l-ebda preżenza f’Għawdex, u l-uffiċjali jinsabu mingħajr mezzi essenzjali, tagħmir bħad-drones u sistemi ta’ kameras biex iħarsu b’mod effettiv dawn l-abbużi ambjentali. Għalkemm il-każijiet jiġu indirizzati mill-pulizija tad-distrett, dawn mhumiex imħarrġa apposta. Barra minn hekk, l-infurzar bil-lejl huwa kważi ineżistenti, u b’riżultat ta’ dan, ħafna żoni jibqgħu mingħajr superviżjoni adegwata f’ħinijiet meta l-abbuż huwa l-aktar probabbli li jseħħ”.

Azzopardi rrimarkat ukoll li s-sitwazzjoni fl-ambjent marittimu tirrifletti l-istess nuqqasijiet imsemmija hawn fuq, hekk kif entitajiet regolatorji bħat-Transport Malta u d-Dipartiment tas-Sajd mhumiex ipprovduti b’riżorsi umani u loġistiċi adegwati, u lanqas b’tagħmir tekniku modern biex jassiguraw sorveljanza u infurzar effikaċi. Dawn in-nuqqasijiet isiru partikolarment kritici fix-xhur tas-sajf, meta l-attivitajiet illegali jilħqu l-quċċata. B’konsegwenza ta’ dan, siti marittimi ta’ Natura 2000 u żoni kostali protetti spiss jitħallew mingħajr il-protezzjoni dovuta, u għalhekk isiru vulnerabbli għal pressjonijiet u prattiċi ta’ ħsara. Barra minn hekk, in-nuqqas ta’ infurzar ifisser li dan il-ksur ma jiġix dokumentat jew rifless fl-istatistiċi uffiċjali, u b’hekk jibqgħu inviżibbli fil-qafas analitiku, minkejja li jibqgħu iseħħu fil-prattika.

Il-Partit Momentum isejjaħ għat-twaqqif immedjat ta’ Unità ta’ Protezzjoni Ambjentali f’Għawdex, estensjoni tal-ħinijiet operattivi, provvista ta’ tagħmir modern, tisħiħ tal-qafas legali, allokazzjoni ta’ aktar riżorsi biex jiġu protetti s-siti naturali li huma l-aktar sensittivi, u anke l-benesseri tal-annimali.

Minbarra r-riformi strutturali, il-gwardjani qed joperaw ukoll f’kundizzjonijiet ta’ riskju personali mingħajr protezzjoni legali adegwata, u dan minkejja li l-Ministru għall-Ambjent, Miriam Dalli, hija konxja tal-problema. Compagno żiedet tgħid li f’diversi każijiet fil-qorti, il-gwardjani rċivew theddid dirett mingħand il-kaċċaturi. “Dan it-theddid, spiss espress fil-beraħ waqt is-seduti, ma ġiex irreġistrat fl-atti uffiċjali u lanqas ittieħdu passi kontra min  hedded. Il-gwardjani jistħoqqilhom protezzjoni legali u rispett, speċjalment fil-kuntest ġudizzjarju.”

Matul il-pattulja tagħhom, Azzopardi u Compagno setgħu josservaw mill-qrib l-isforzi kontinwi tal-gwardjani biex jiġi protett l-ambjent minn nirien, rimi irresponsabbli ta’ skart u l-ħarsien tal-Garnija. Malta tospita madwar 10% tal-popolazzjoni tal-Mediterran ta’ dan it-tip ta’ għasfur, li jbejjet fuq il-kosti tagħna u jbid biss bajda waħda fis-sena. Fil-perjodu tat-tfaqqis, il-flieles huma partikolarment vulnerabbli għad-diżorjentament ikkawżat minn dawl eċċessiv ta’ bastimenti, li jsarraf fi ksur dirett tal-linji gwida, hekk kif huwa permess biss dawl minimu.

Kwistjoni oħra serja u ta’ tħassib hija n-nuqqas ta’ sinjaletika edukattiva fiż-żoni protetti. Filwaqt li xi kunsilli lokali ħadmu flimkien mal-gwardjani biex jiġu installati sinjali informattivi, diversi siti baqgħu mingħajr gwida suffiċjenti. “Aħna nistaqsu għaliex xi sinjali tneħħew jew qatt ma ġew installati. Il-kuxjenza pubblika hija kruċjali, u l-liġijiet rilevanti għandhom ikunu viżibbli b’mod ċar sabiex tiġi mħeġġa imġiba responsabbli,” sostniet Compagno.

Il-gwardjani tennew l-importanza tal-kooperazzjoni bejn l-awtoritajiet lokali, l-operaturi tal-bastimenti u l-komunità inġenerali. Komunikazzjoni iktar effiċjenti, monitoraġġ konsistenti u responsabbiltà għall-kontravventuri reċidivi huma essenzjali. Kampanji ta’ kuxjenza pubblika, b’mod partikolari matul perjodi kritiċi bħall-istaġun tat-tfaqqis tal-Garnija, jistgħu jikkontribwixxu sabiex verament tiġi protetta l-biodiversità unika ta’ Malta, u biex verament tiddakkar sens ta’ responsabbiltà ambjentali f’pajjiżna.

Il-Partit Momentum jingħaqad mal-Malta Ranger Unit fis-sejħa għal riformi immedjati u konkreti, sabiex jiġu mħarsa l-ekosistemi fraġli tal-gżejjer tagħna, qabel ma tkompli ssir aktar ħsara irriversibbli. 

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