Reference is made to the letter (TMID Friday, 25 February) entitled Maghtab data and public access from Mark Causon, environmental spokesperson of Alternattiva Demokratika.

Mr Causon seems to allege that the LN 217/01, which permitted for the very first time access to information in environmental matters in Malta, was “abusively drafted” so as to cover up the findings of the Scott Wilson report. Nothing could be further from the truth – LN 217/01 was, in fact, published on 18 September 2001 and put into force on 22 February 2002, long before the Scott Wilson report started to be prepared in May 2002.

LN 217/01 was drafted so as to transpose into Maltese legislation the directive 90/313 EC on Access to Information in Environmental Matters, which was repealed and replaced by the new Directive 2003/4 EC, only a few weeks ago.

Furthermore, the Commission has not, as alleged, initiated infringement proceedings against Malta because LN 217/01 was “abusively drafted” but has warned Malta since it has not yet amended this Legal Notice to include the amendments made by the new Directive 2003/4 EC.

The draft legal notice, which will replace LN 217/01, is in its final stages of preparation for publication and it will be published for public consultation as a draft in the coming weeks, enabling any person to assess whether the new LN is completely in harmony with the new directive. This shows that the Rural Affairs and Environment Ministry is completely in favour of ensuring access to environmental information to the public.

Ray Bezzina

Communications Coordinator

Rural Affairs and the Environment Ministry