Nature Trust (Malta) welcomes the initiatives being taken by the Parliamentary Secretary Jason Azzopardi to claim back public land that has been taken over illegally for commercial purposes or squatters on site. Nature Trust together with other NGOs has in the past been asking the authorities for action since public land was being taken over and access to the public was being denied by a few.

The NGO feels that finally this is a positive long await move by authorities who have the guts to claim back what by right is public domain. Nature Trust urges that once such land is taken over a sustainable way forward has to be planned so as to ensure that this land is not taken over again within a few months as has been the example in past experiences.

NTM feels that illegal structures and closing off to public access paths should be immediately tackled before the issue becomes a national problem where then political forces at times come in to defend the wrong doers. Today Malta is peppered with illegal structures that have by time become small villages of squatters on public land.

Public land should again be freed to be enjoyed by all and what is more the environment restored to its original state.

Permalink: NTM welcomes steps by authorities but urges more sustainable actions