“Ggantija and other sites that are considered world heritage are very important for our country and therefore we must do everything so that they are not lost,” stated Nationalist Party Leader Bernard Grech.

He added that “this historical heritage cannot be lost because of a lack of action by those who are obliged to protect these sites.

The PN Leader was speaking during a visit to the megalithic temples of Ggantija following the recent news of the approval of a residential block in the area which is so important to the history of the country and is also protected by UNESCO.

Grech argued that this “scandalous permit is another confirmation that the Planning Authority has become a Department of Permits without caution, while the Supervision of Cultural Heritage has been weakened by the Government in these the last ten years.”

The Leader of the Nationalist Party claimed that the Government as well as the authorities should take all the necessary actions immediately and eliminate any risk that may be caused by any type of development in this protection zone.

“This should also be done so that this heritage can be fully enjoyed as a national heritage site,” he said.

Grech also highlighted the fact that the Maltese National Committee of International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) “had stressed that the Government should put the public interest and the national heritage before the private interest – because such a development is capable of having the most serious repercussions.”

Bernard Grech was accompanied on the visit by PN Deputies Alex Borg, Chris Said, Julie Zahra, as well as Stanley Zammit.

Permalink: Authorities must protect world heritage sites such as Ggantija – PN