Land owned by the Church in Gozo has been sold to two priests in partnership with another two individuals for speculative purposes, Flimkien Ghall Ambjent Ahjar spokesperson Astrid Vella claimed yesterday.

Speaking at a national protest against the new development boundaries which was organised by a number of NGO’s and attended by a sizeable crowd of about 700 persons in Valletta, Ms Vella said that they were not against the government or building but could not condone new building sites as large as an airport landing strip.

The protest which began at City Gate was notable for the sizeable number of participants from all walks of life, but with Nationalist MP’s conspicuous by their absence. The Labour Party sent a sizeable delegation consisting of Secretary General Jason Micallef, International Secretary Joe Mifsud, MP’s Evarist Bartolo, Carmelo Abela, Roderick Galdes and Leo Brincat and MEP Joseph Muscat.

Other groups spotted in the crowd were Alleanza Nazzjonali Republikana and Imperium Europa’s Norman Lowell who marched together with Alternattiva Demokratika and Moviment Graffiti, a rather rare occasion.

A number of placards against the PN were also evident and these included statements such as “Gorg Bullycino”, “Gvern tal-Gaffa”, “Vote Gonzi…Get Caqnu – Hekk Ahjar Prim?” and “IVA PN (the PN’s slogan for the EU Referendum and General Election) – Ghall Kuntrattur, Ghall-Ispekulaturi, Ghall-Barunijiet”.

Ramblers Association President Lino Bugeja said that this was not the end of the people’s fight but just the beginning. He said that now was the time for those who loved their country to stand up and be counted adding that the NGO’s would be taking their case to the EU Commission, in particular to Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas.

Friends of the Earth called for a free vote in parliament on the new development boundaries and asked those MP’s who had the true interest of the country at heart to abstain from voting. They said that the general public also had the right to call for a referendum when Parliament was binding future parliaments with such legislation.

AD Chairperson Harry Vassallo also addressed the crowd stating that this was just the beginning of the battle. He called for those who have had their property devalued to sue the government for which the AD was ready to provide free legal aid.

The event concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.