Labour MPs vote down PN motion on constitutional right to environment

Labour MPs have voted against a motion by the Nationalist Party to enshrine the right to a healthy environment in Malta’s Constitution.

It was a heated parliamentary debate that exposed deep divisions between government and opposition, with accusations of “panic,” “spin,” and “steamrolling” dominating the exchanges.

Opposition Leader Alex Borg accused the Labour government of dragging its feet for two years on a bill of national importance, insisting that the environment should be enshrined as a fundamental right.

“Today in Malta we have an environmental crisis,” Borg declared. “The environment is not a luxury, they are everyone’s right. If the government votes against this motion, it is voting against the environment.”

PN MPs Darren Carabott and Rebekah Borg (Photo: Partit Nazzjonalista)

Borg accused the government of orchestrating campaigns against the Opposition, claiming that the PN has screenshots of ministers directing NGOs to publish statements against the motion. “I haven’t seen the Labour Party in such a state of panic in a while,” he said. He urged MPs to “be the wave of change” and safeguard Malta’s environment for future generations.

Environment Minister Miriam Dalli defended the government’s record, reminding parliament that it was Labour in 2018 that first inserted environmental protection into the Constitution. She listed achievements including the Climate Act and new environmental permitting rules.
Dalli accused the Opposition of ignoring concerns raised by environmental groups.

She said these groups reached out to the Labour Party with these concerns, but she also said that these groups shared the same concerns with the Opposition directly.

Dalli specifically mentioned Godfrey Farrugia, a former politician and president of the Malta Pyrotechnics Association. According to Dalli, Farrugia shared the association's concerns with both the government and Opposition.

Justice Minister Jonathan Attard was more blunt. He dismissed the PN’s proposals as “froġa minn bidu sal-aħħar” – a botched attempt from start to finish.

Labour whip Naomi Cachia warned against “steamrolling” constitutional change without analysis or consultation. “The government can never participate in amending the highest law of the land in such a reckless way. Many experts and organisations raised concerns, yet the Opposition chose to ignore them.”

From the Opposition benches, Rebekah Borg hit back, accusing the government of double-speak. “We just heard the environment minister spend 20 minutes talking against environmental protection,” she said. Borg also questioned whether ministers themselves had been consulted on recent planning reforms, claiming even architects and developers had been kept in the dark.

Other contributions sought to cut through the partisan fire. PN MP Eve Borg Bonello stressed that climate change “is not a matter of political parties but of generations,” calling for parliament to rise above divisions.

In a statement ahead of the sitting, the PN said that protecting the environment as a fundamental right is “a matter of social justice” and “a historic step,” noting it would be the first new constitutional right added since Malta gained Independence in 1964.

Alex Borg presented the motion during the first parliamentary session reserved for the Opposition under his leadership. The PN said it chose this proposal to underline the link between quality of life, public health, and environmental sustainability.

The bill, authored by Darren Carabott and supported by Rebekah Borg, seeks to give every Maltese and Gozitan citizen the right to a clean and safe environment, and would empower individuals and NGOs to hold governments accountable in court if this right is undermined.

The PN said it has long argued that Malta faces an “environmental crisis”, citing air pollution from traffic, high waste levels, pressures on coastal and marine ecosystems, limited renewable energy investment, and a lack of green spaces. It accused the Labour government of sidelining the proposal for two years and treating the environment as “an electoral slogan rather than a serious commitment.”

The party said its bill already enjoys the support of several organisations and that it is open to government amendments as long as these strengthen protections for citizens and the environment.