PN reiterates pledge to raise environment above partisan politics

The party's quality of life document can find the support of environmentalists, developers and retailers alike, Simon Busuttil says

Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil
Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil

Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil has once again pledged that a government run by him will seek to protect the environment and to "raise the environment above partisan politics."

"This is how the country ends up with deals like the ones at Zonqor and ITS," he said.

Busuttil was speaking at a meeting at parliament this afternoon between the PN and members from a number of social partners, where he said that the PNs quality of life policy document was a comprehensive one that offered many proposals for improving people's lives, especially on issues relating to the environment.

One of its main messages, he said, was that a strong economy was possible while also protecting the environment.

"I want to dispel, once and for all, the idea that if you are in favour of protecting the environment you are somehow against business or economic growth," Busuttil said, adding that the proposals in the document could easily be supported by environmentalists and developers alike. 

According to the Opposition leader, another PN's aims would be to offer a long-term vision for managing the environment.

"This is why we are talking about a vision for 2050," he said. "We need to know where we are going."

On Outside Development Zone (ODZ) development, Busuttil said that through the PN's proposal that would see this type of development require a two-thirds parliamentary majority, any opposition would effectively have to power to block such a development. He added that, the proposal would mean the government of the day will have to face parliament with any such proposal.

Busuttil underscored the importance of air quality, traffic congestion and several other areas that affect people's quality of life, and which had been addressed in the document.