Words will make them cry: ERA ‘attacks’ graffiti that dubbed it mafia

A sprawling graffito has incurred the wrath of the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), which said it “unreservedly attacks” the vandalism on its premises in Marsa.

Protesters angry about a decision to cut down hundreds of trees to make way for the Central Link road project sprayed graffiti slamming Malta’s environmental regulator and Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg.

The perimeter walls at ERA offices at Hexagon House were covered in messages on Friday morning, labelling the authority ‘mafia’, calling for its chairman Victor Axiak to resign and said minister Borg should be ‘ashamed’.

In Attard, other scrawled messages mourned the hundreds of trees due to be cut down to make way for the Central Link road project. Graffiti scrawled onto tarmac in Rabat dubbed the approved roadworks project ‘central stink’.

“It appears that this act of vandalism is related to the decision taken yesterday by the Planning Authority Board on the application PA 9890/17 Central Link Highway Development,” the ERA spokesperson ventured.

“It must be clarified that as an external consultee with the PA, ERA has examined this case in detail over the past months, including by means of assessing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The Authority prepared detailed reports on such EIA, which included conclusions and recommendations.

“Apart from recommending a number of permit conditions, ERA spearheaded discussions that lead to considerable change to the original plans, so that the impact on trees was reduced significantly and the impact on the amount of land taken was also considerably reduced. ERA will consistently strive in order to protect our natural environment, by using the means and parameters stipulated by the law.”

Environment Minister Jose Herrera deplored the “acts of cowardice”, saying vandalism was never a justifiable means for anyone to be heard and the ERA would continue to protect Malta's natural capital.