Partit Demokratiku MP Godfrey Farrugia today spoke about the party's full support towards the Public Domain Act, saying that valleys should be included as being in the public domain.

Such an initiative is being launched in order to “protect Malta’s valleys, biodiversity and ecology” together with NGOs and whoever else will assist in protecting the environment. The campaign will involve the PD contributing its resources to research, planning, submitting additional areas while aiding and being involved in the enactment of laws.

At press conference at Wied Qirda, Zebbug, Farrugia spoke about Malta being a “water stressed country in which we are ranked 92 in the world for water reserves, one of the worst in the world”.

“Pollution and climate change have been having detrimental effects on the environment and drought and other extreme forms of weather have been affecting green areas such as valleys”, Farrugia emphasised.

Farrugia then mentioned that there are approximately over 70 valleys in Malta and Gozo alone and "we are going to present between 28 and 30 valleys to the Planning Authority in order to be considered as public domains”.

Farrugia also acknowledged that the protection of valleys is necessary, and that although development is encouraged there needs to be a balance between preservation of natural areas and development.

“We are hoping that the plan we are going to launch, will then go through public consultation in order for these valleys in Malta and two valleys we highlighted in Gozo to become public domains”.

Farrugia also spoke about the importance of protecting water tables, saying that the seven-year road works plan initiated by the government shoud keep in mind the need to reduce wastage of water. PD will also be putting forward a private amendments bill which will be on focusing on the water table issue in Malta.

This campaign is to be spread out over into 2020 and onwards.