Vote against PN amendments ‘shows PM wants complete control over MEPA’

PN spokesperson for the environment Ryan Callus mentioned a list of proposals that were presented in Parliament and rejected by the government.

(File photo) PN MP Ryan Callus
(File photo) PN MP Ryan Callus

The Nationalist Party’s spokesperson for the environment Ryan Callus said that after Wednesday’s marathon parliamentary session, the government had “clearly shown that it wants total control over MEPA and land permits.”

In a press conference in Valletta, Callus mentioned a list of proposals presented in Parliament by the Opposition and rejected by the government.

He insisted that with the new law for MEPA’s demerger, politicians will have more power and control over the land while transparency in the permits process will decrease sufficiently.

“We have proposed to have environmental NGOs represented on the new MEPA board, but the government kept refusing.”

The new executive council will have the power to create new policies, Callus said. “The heart of the new planning authority will be in the hands of the government,” he said.

“Government refused the presence of a member of the Opposition on the board. We also proposed an amendment for the minister not to have power to allow development on ODZ land. But the government refused.”

He claimed that the Labour government did not approve such proposals because it doesn’t want everything to occur above board.

Callus insisted that the new Executive Chairman will be the most powerful executive in Malta.