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Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer joins chorus of disapproval on Mosta trees uprooting
'Leave them alone,' read a placard held by Cyrus Engerer, who together with Labour Qala mayor Paul Buttigieg also joined the chorus of disapproval on the uprooting and transplanting of Mosta trees
14 November 2023, 2:03pm
Marianna Calleja
Marianna Calleja
2 min read
Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer joins activists and residents from Brussels. (Photo: Facebook/Cyrus Engerer)
Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer has joined the chorus of disapproval on the uprooting and transplanting of Mosta trees.
"Leave them there," read a placard held by Engerer, who is currently in Brussels.
Activists and residents protest the uprooting of the Ficus trees that towered over the Mosta bus station
Taking to his social media platforms, the MEP posted a photo expressing his solidarity with activists and residents who gathered early on Constitution Street outside the Mosta Dome on Tuesday morning. Their protest was in response to the extensive pruning of majestic trees that cast shade over the main bus stop.
Labour Mayor Paul Buttigieg physically joined the activists on the ground this morning.
“Together we fought to save Ħondoq ir-Rummien. Together we continue to fight to save the environment and our quality of life,” a post shared by NGO Moviment Graffitti said.
As more reactions pour in, the Malta Ranger Unit also condemned the decision by the Environmental Resources Authority to “allow the destruction of decades-old ficus trees in Mosta square.”
The organisation reminded that each tree is protected as per the Trees and Woodland Protection Regulations which were made law in 2018.
All that's left of the Mosta trees, which are set to be transplanted to the Santa Margerita area (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)
“When government allows such trees to be cut with impunity, it makes our work to protect the environment harder. Rampant and pointless destruction sends a message to the general public that the law is not for everyone,” the Malta Ranger Unit said.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday morning, MaltaToday spoke to a number of activists and residents in Mosta who all argued that the once picturesque pjazza which adorned the heart of the community, “will now be marred by the absence of its beloved trees.”
The situation was illustrated yesterday evening by a night-time mobile phone video showing a homeless bird colony fluttering aimlessly around the pruned trees.
Marianna Calleja joined MaltaToday's journalistic team in 2022, having previously worked a...
