13 August 2007 Rating 60% No Comment  

Addressing residents in Wied Ghomor objecting to the construction of 11 villas in a protected area, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson Dr Harry Vassallo said that the present conflict was generated by the illegal extension of development zones in June 2006. "The facts of this case reveal the complete fallacy of government statements on the issue, and join dozens of other cases in Malta and Gozo in which other resident groups have been thrown into conflict with unnecessary development because of the extension of the development areas." Dr Vassallo said. "Alternattiva Demokratika is conducting judicial proceedings in the Maltese courts and has complained to the EU Commission on the grounds of a violation of the Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) Directive" Dr Vassallo said "We have also asked the courts to issue a warrant of prohibitory injunction in order to avoid hundreds, if not thousands of court cases by residents illegally deprived their acquired rights but the courts have preferred otherwise" Dr Vassallo said. "The site in question on the boundary of the Wied Ghomor protected site is referred to as outside development zone in the development application and marked as protected and part of the development zone on the MEPA website" Dr Vassallo said. "The site was not merely outside development zone but also given a specially protected status which appears to have been withdrawn in the extension of development zones last year" Dr Vassallo added. "The result is a development application for the construction of villas in a protected area which altogether contradicts the government's defense of its illegal action last year in which it claimed to be righting wrongs and providing space for social housing for young couples" Dr Vassallo said. "When the EU commission finally obliges the Maltese government to reverse its illegalities all the damage done will have to be made good and developers forced into millions of liri of reparation costs will then sue the government" Dr Vassallo added. "Instead of being obstinate and irresponsible causing problems to ordinary citizens and harm to the environment the government would do much better if it directed its energies into addressing the question of skyrocketing property prices and reforming the rent laws" Dr Vassallo said "The country is covered with a huge surplus of vacant properties but instead of addressing the issue, the government remains intent on adding more to the surplus and keeping prices impossibly high at the same time. Ending the destruction of the countryside and ensuring that existing resources are properly used is simply common sense which the government refuses to understand" Dr Vassallo said.