Speaker: parliament crowd barriers to remain until 'permanent solution' is found

The metal barriers that have surrounded Parliament since 2019, will remain in place until a permanent solution is found, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia said.

In a parliamentary question on Wednesday, PN MP Darren Carabott asked the Speaker why the barriers, that "go against the artistic philosophy of the building", were still in place after three years.

The barriers were put in place following mass protests in light of revelations surrounding the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2019.

Farrugia said that whilst he appreciated the artistry of the building, he was also aware of his responsibility to ensure that both members of parliament and the building itself were protected.

“Until a permanent solution is found, the crowd barriers should remain, as they clearly delineate the area near the building, where the MPs and the Parliamentary committees meet, which the Speaker has a duty to protect,” Farrugia said.

Farrugia said following discussions with parliamentary security services of at the start of the legislature, the number of barriers was drastically reduced.

The Chamber of Architects had warned that the barriers emphasise the gap between the elected and the electorate - a gap which the architectural and urban design sought to “eradicate”.

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