Environmental NGOs and civic groups called for stricter environmental protection in a loud protest held in Valletta yesterday morning.

Around 200 environmentalists holding placards and banners reading “Stop illegal hunting”, “Enforcement now”, “Eco Gozo or Ecce Gozo” and “Illegality has to go”, marched in protest down Republic Street, from City Gate to the Law Courts, even though it was raining cats and dogs.

Yesterday’s event will most likely be given a place in the annals of history in that it was, in all probability, the last protest held in Freedom Square as we know it, since the square is to be closed as from next month to make way for construction work at City Gate and for a new parliament building to be built in the square itself.

According to FAA coordinator Astrid Vella and Ramblers Malta president Alex Vella, the turnout was encouraging, considering yesterday’s inclement weather.

Both, in fact, commented that yesterday’s turnout was higher than that for the last two environmental rallies.

The protest was organised by eight environmental NGOs: BirdLife Malta, Flimkien ghal-Ambjent Ahjar, Friends of the Earth, Greenhouse, the Malta Organic and Agricultural Movement, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust Malta and Ramblers Malta.

Other smaller NGOs such as Fondazzjoni Ulied Hal Qormi, Birzebbuga Environmental Action Group, ETVAN project Marsaskala and the Gozitano Farmers, also swelled the ranks.

Ironically, the rally was rather noisy when considering that the environmentalists were protesting, among a number of other issues, against noise pollution. They chanted: “Give law a chance” to the melody of John Lennon’s Give Peace a Chance, played loud music and blew whistles.

They also protested against the abuse of Natura 2000 sites in Fomm ir-Rih, Bahrija and Ta’ Baldu, encroachment on outside development zones, illegal hunting and trapping, air pollution, unauthorised groundwater extraction, heritage destruction and the sham of public consultation on the Freeport and the Valletta regeneration plan.

“We are not fair weather friends, we are ready to suffer to ensure that the law is respected in the national interest. The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has the tools to protect the environment but these cannot be left unused or meticulously used against minor developers but not against large developers,” Mr Vella said in his address.

“We are standing at an arms’ length from political parties because we believe that the environment should be respected. The Mepa reform was music to our ears, and we commended the work done by Environment Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco but, unfortunately, abuse is continuing on a daily basis and respect for the environment is often disregarded,” he added.

What the country needs is more people, in addition to the NGOs, to stand up against such rampant abuse, said Mr Vella, adding that such protests cost a lot of money to organise. He urged the government to apply the law fairly, as they promised to do when they took their oath at the beginning of the legislature two years ago.

Meanwhile, FAA coordinator Ms Vella said that yesterday’s protest was about promoting good health, in favour of a good quality of life and to object to the violation of environmental laws.

“Air pollution is the biggest threat to the Maltese people’s health and nothing is being done to stop rampant abuse of the groundwater, which belongs to the whole nation and not to the few,” she said.

Regarding the Valletta Regeneration Project, she said it was unfair that lawmakers bend structural policy rules. She added that the public had been denied public consultation with regard to the roofless theatre proposed for the Opera House ruins.

Ramblers Malta honorary president Lino Bugeja said he was pleased to see people from all walks of life participating in the protest. He added that, while people are deliberating on the issues, the environment is burning down. “We need more emphasis on protection, a real reform and not lip service. The illegalities have increased and Malta cannot afford to lose more countryside. The legal loopholes should be closed off by environment protection laws,” he said.

Bird Life Malta executive director Tolga Temuge said that the law is there to be enforced equally. He urged law enforcers to stop being strong with the weak and weak with the strong.

The final address came from Moviment Graffiti, which said that words change nothing but votes change everything.

The protesting NGOs insistence that the event should not be politicised had been heeded.