18 Student Organisations have endorsed the statement published by Front Zghazagh ghall-Ambjent and are endorsing the protest on Saturday.

The organisations said that they “strongly oppose” Bills No. 143 and 144 and the three legal notices published with them on proposed changes to the planning law, for the following reasons:

1. The Planning Authority will become more powerful than Parliament.

2. The powers of the Courts will be weakened.

3. The obligation for the Planning Authority to consider the environmental impact of development will be removed.

4. The Planning Board will have the power to ignore planning plans and policies. It will become harder to amend planning policies in the future to meet our country’s environmental needs.

5. It will become more difficult to fight in favour of the environment and against overdevelopment.

Therefore, the organisations said they demand that the Government:

1. Withdraw these Bills and legal notices. No consultation can take place on drafts that are themselves regressive.

2. Introduce an urgent measure to suspend development that is subject to a pending appeal.

3. Publish a white paper and hold a broader public consultation on the country’s vision regarding development.

The undersigned student organisations also endorsed the Gustizzja ghall-Artna national protest and encourage all students and young people from Gozo and Malta to make their voices heard tomorrow, Saturday, the 4th of October, meeting at 10am outside the Law Courts in Valletta.

Front Zghazagh ghall-Ambjent (FZA)

Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU)

Ghaqda Studenti tal-Ligi (GhSL)

European Law Students Association (ELSA)

Junior Chamber of Advocates (JCA)

Society for Architecture & Civil Engineering Students (SACES)

Malta Medical Students’ Association (MMSA)

Earth Systems Association (ESA)

Betapsi

Malta Health Students’ Association (MHSA)

Gozo University Group (GUG)

Department of English Student Association (DESA)

University Engineering Student Association

Association of Students of Commercial Studies (ASCS)

Classics and Archaeology Students’ Association (CASA)

Science Students’ Society (S-Cubed)

MKSA – Media & Knowledge Sciences Association (MKSA)

Criminology Students’ Association (CSA)

The Malta International Relations Student Association (MIRSA)

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