NGOs say talks between government and Armier squatters is 'bad news'

Environmental NGOs Ramblers Association, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar and Friends of the Earth today said that talks between parliamentary secretary for planning Michael Falzon and representatives of the Armier squatters “was not good news.”

Falzon recently said that Government has in the last months talked to the representatives of the Armier squatters more than once and the NGOs said  “this was not good news; indeed it was very bad news: while taking to Court the people who stole electricity by tampering with Smart meters,  Government is just ‘talking’ to others who have been stealing electricity for long years.”

Noting that this constitutes mal-administration of justice, the three NGOs said the authorities have made no attempt to consult the major stakeholder, the public, on this matter.  

“The government cannot consider either the Labour Party or the PN as truly representing the public on this issue for obvious reasons.  Both parties have placed the interests of the squatters above the national interest, even going so far as to sign secret agreements with them on the eve of elections,” they said, adding that these agreements have never been published.

The only bodies who have any claim to representing the public are the NGOs and Alternattiva Demokratika, “who over the years have been highlighting the abuse consistently,” the statement said.

The NGOs insisted that the guiding principles for future action are to be based on three principles of equality, legality and sustainability.

Pointing out that long-term abusive occupiers of public land are not to be rewarded in any way, the NGOs underlined the need to apply justice in a consistent manner in the national interest.

“Tolerance of abuse has gone on far too long.  Land abuse is theft and should be treated as such,” the NGOs said while calling on the public and other NGOs to join their campaign against abuse and illegal possession of public land.