Victoria Local council ‘demanding to break the law’ over Tokk tree uprooting – FAA

Environmental NGO Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar has dismissed claims by the Victoria Local Council that uprooting Ficus trees at it-Tokk, Gozo is a ‘legitimate demand’.

“These trees are protected by the Trees and Woodlands Protection Act of 2011, as confirmed by MEPA,” FAA said in a statement. “Therefore, the Victoria Local Council is demanding to break the law.”

The FAA added that the local council’s proposal to relocate these trees is now impossible to implement, due to the re-enforced concrete cap already in place.  

“The correct method of relocation would be very costly and would require the removal of the concrete that has been laid,” FAA said. “ If there is indeed archeology beneath the trees, any relocation programme will only cause further destruction of the archeology which will be damaged in extracting the roots.”

They went on to warn that uprooting the trees will cause the EU to withdraw its funding of the €1.7 million project in the centre of Victoria. 

“This action violates not only Malta’s laws, but also EU Climate Change guidelines,” FAA said. “Given that the damage caused by the Local Council’s work has put the trees at risk, the FAA does not rule out taking legal action against the Council if the trees die.

The FAA pointed out that mature trees like the ones in the Victoria square are the only means of reducing the health impact of toxic emissions in a heavily-polluted area. 

“The Council’s actions will expose Victoria residents to higher rates of asthma, cancer, heart disease, dementia and mental illness,” FAA said. “The existing trees can be incorporated into the project layout, unless other private or commercial that have not been declared are at play.”

“In the rest of the world, modernisation means looking at ways of incorporating existing trees into projects, not eliminating them. Cities all over Europe are carrying out projects to plant millions of trees due to the health and well being that these trees give to the community, benefits worth thousands of euros in health benefits alone.”