Repubblika says eco-mafia is taking over the state again

Repubblika has condemned the government’s proposed changes to planning laws, calling them “tools of impunity” that risk handing the country’s future over to what it calls the “eco-mafia”.

“This is not politics. This is a conspiracy,” the group said in a statement. “We will not allow our laws, our landscape, and our democracy to be secretly sold.”

The NGO, which works to defend rule of law and democratic values in Malta, said the proposed planning reforms are another assault on public participation and the common good. 

In its statement, Repubblika accused the government of acting in secrecy, without public consultation, and in the interest of developers with political ties.

Repubblika expressed full support for environmental organisations and communities that have already spoken out, saying they stand with those who are raising the alarm about the dangers of the proposed legal changes.

“These are not reforms,” the group said. “These are tools of impunity.” According to Repubblika, the changes would strip people of their right to object to harmful development, weaken the power of the courts to enforce the law, and reward those who break planning laws.

They warned that the reforms send a clear message: “If you break the law and have friends, the government will bend the rules to give you shelter.”

Calling the situation a clear case of “state capture”, the group claimed the government is no longer protecting the public interest, but is instead acting in the interest of a few wealthy developers who help fund the ruling party. 

“The government is silencing citizens and dismantling the institutions that are supposed to protect them,” the group said.

Repubblika said the changes may also breach European law, including rights found in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive, and the Aarhus Convention. 

These laws guarantee the public the right to take part in decisions that affect the environment and to challenge abuse through the courts.

By giving developers protection from legal consequences and making it harder for the public to access justice, the group argued that Malta risks breaching its European obligations.

Repubblika said it will explore all legal and procedural means, in both local and European courts, to stop the proposals from becoming law.

“Malta is not owned by those who pay for it so that no one can touch it,” the statement concluded. “Malta belongs to its people who have every right to live in a country governed by justice, not pleasure.”