Ignoring the 30,000 signatures, breaking the law and still getting rewarded 

Momentum is disappointed at the Planning Authority case officer’s recommendation to sanction 20 illegally-built padel courts on Manoel Island against a fine of just €900.

Dr Matthew Agius, an election candidate for Momentum, said, “Once again, this recommendation sends a dangerous message: that certain businessmen in Malta can break planning laws first and request to legalise everything later with a symbolic fine. A €900 penalty is an insult when these padel courts can generate that amount in revenue in a single day.”

This decision completely disregards the nearly 30,000 people who signed the petition to save Manoel Island from development and turn it into a national park for everyone to enjoy. It also ignores concerns about the Valletta UNESCO buffer zone, light pollution, traffic impacts, and the wider cultural and environmental importance of the site.

“This is exactly why this election matters. Malta needs real change. We cannot continue accepting a system where illegal development is rewarded, public demands are ignored, and cultural heritage is treated as an obstacle instead of something that deserves to be protected”, Agius added.

Momentum stood with activists from day one. In fact, the Manoel Island protest was the first protest attended by Momentum since the movement’s inception. This is because the movement believes public spaces belong to the people, not to speculation and backdoor regularisation of illegalities.

Momentum encourages all those who signed the petition, and everyone who believes in protecting Malta’s heritage and environment, to use their vote wisely. It is time to turn this public anger into parliamentary change.

Tinjora t-30,000 firma, tikser il-liġi u xorta tiġi ppremjat

Momentum huwa ddiżappuntat bir-rakkomandazzjoni tal-Case Officer tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar li tissanzjona 20 padel court mibnija illegalment fuq Manoel Island b’multa ta’ €900 biss.

Dr Matthew Agius, kandidat għall-elezzjoni li ġejja f’isem Momentum, qal, “Għal darb’oħra, din ir-rakkomandazzjoni tibgħat messaġġ perikoluż: li n-negozji f’Malta jistgħu jaqbdu ujiksru l-liġijiet tal-ippjanar u mbagħad jitolbu li jillegalizzaw kollox wara. Biex tgħaxxaq, il-penali hija insult ta’ €900 meta dawn il-padel courts jiġġeneraw dak l-ammont fi dħul f’ġurnata waħda.”

Din id-deċiżjoni tinjora kompletament it-30,000 persuna li ffirmaw il-petizzjoni biex isalvaw Manoel Island mill-iżvilupp u jibdluha f’park nazzjonali biex titgawda minn kulħadd. Tinjora wkoll it-tħassib dwar iż-żona ta’ lqugħ tal-UNESCO tal-Belt Valletta, it-tniġġis tad-dawl, l-impatti tat-traffiku, u l-importanza kulturali u ambjentali usa’ tas-sit.

Agius żied jgħid, “Huwa preċiżament għalhekk li din l-elezzjoni hija importanti. Malta teħtieġ bidla vera. Ma nistgħux inkomplu naċċettaw sistema fejn l-iżvilupp illegali jiġi ppremjat, it-talbiet pubbliċi jiġu injorati, u l-wirt kulturali jiġi ttrattat bħala ostaklu minflok xi ħaġa li għandha tiġi protetta.”

Momentum wera s-sapport tiegħu mal-attivisti mill-ewwel jum. Fil-fatt, il-protesta ta’ Manoel Island kienet l-ewwel protesta li attenda Momentum minn mindu beda l-moviment. Dan għax il-moviment jemmen li l-ispazji pubbliċi huma tan-nies, mhux suġġett għall-ispekulazzjoni u r-regolarizzazzjoni moħbija tal-illegalitajiet.

Momentum iħeġġeġ lil dawk kollha li ffirmaw il-petizzjoni, u lil kull min jemmen fil-protezzjoni tal-wirt u l-ambjent ta’ Malta, biex jużaw il-vot tagħhom bil-għaqal. Wasal iż-żmien li din ir-rabja pubblika tinbidel f’bidla parlamentari.

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