Crowdfunding campaign collects €20,000 in a single day to challenge Central Link Project

Opposition to the project is far more widespread than government has expected, the NGOs said

The Central Link Project was approved by the Planning Board on Thursday
The Central Link Project was approved by the Planning Board on Thursday

A crowdfunding campaign looking to collected money for a legal challenge to the Central Link Project has raised €20,000 in less than 24 hours. 

Yesterday, a group of 14 NGOs said he would be filing an appeal with the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal, announcing today that their target had already been reached. 

“After the Planning Authority shocking approved the Central Link Project, residents from various localities together with 14 NGOs will be initiating legal action to challenge this appalling decision,” the NGOs said in a statement on Monday.

The NGOs said they turned to the public because despite the fact that they would be covering a part of the procedural and professional fees, they could not cover all the expenses. “In view of the exorbitant costs involved, this appeal will only be possible thanks to the public’s financial support.”

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24 hours later, the NGOs have said that they have collected the €20,000 required for the legal challenge.

Hailing the result as a record, the NGOs said that “today, residents and common citizens have shown that the opposition to this project is far more widespread than government has expected, especially from the residents of the affected areas”.

“We’re overwhelmed by the support that we have received from the people over the last hours and by their encouraging messages,” the NGOs said.

They added that they would now be discussing the next steps with their legal team with a view to mounting the necessary legal challenges. They said that donations would continue to be received from those willing to contribute to the cause.

The statement was signed by: Bicycle Advocacy Group, BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Friends of the Earth Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Futur Ambjent Wieħed, Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi, Għaqda Siġar Maltin, Isles of the Left, Malta Youth in Agriculture Foundation, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust, Malta Ramblers Association, The Archaeological Society Malta.

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