Activists from Moviment Graffitti and FAA on Saturday joined forces with different residents’ groups, including the Sliema Residents Association, the Valletta Residents, the Marsascala Residents Network, Mellieħa Residents, San Pawl il-Baħar Residents and Azzjoni Tuna Artna Lura – Kottonera, to jointly launch the Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadini campaign.

During the press conference intended to officially launch the campaign, residents and activists explained the great difficulties they are experiencing in various localities across Malta and Gozo, due to the take-up of public land by unrestrained commerce. This led them to form a coalition to press the authorities to take action. Their objective is that the interests of common citizens are safeguarded from the rule of private interests, which is spreading and gobbling up our open spaces at an alarming rate.

A statement by the organisers said that the choice of Merchants Street as the site of the press conference was a symbolic one: Merchants Street is a testament to how the lack of serious enforcement and regulation by the authorities has caused this road to be almost completely swallowed up by catering establishments — with the road becoming a maze of tables, chairs, tents and other structures — and making it almost impossible for people to walk comfortably.

Residents and activists explained how they are not anti-business, but stressed that it is clear that in recent years the balance between business and people’s well-being has shifted completely towards business interests, the statement said.

This imbalance can be felt and seen in places such as the Sliema, Gżira and Marsaskala seafronts, where sidewalks have been completely taken up by catering establishments that day by day continue to extend their business operations on public land, making it impossible for residents to walk on sidewalks.

A frustrated Sliema resident had to resort to applying for an encroachment concession to return the pavement to public use after Michael Stivala had completely occupied the road and pavement area illegally. The consequences of the lack of regulation on the occupation of public land by the catering industry are also felt by the Valletta residents, who claim that they feel almost forced out of their homes to make way for business.

This problem is symptomatic of the mess that are our authorities, in this case the Planning Authority, the Lands Authority, and the Malta Tourism Authority, whose loyalty lies with business interests and seem more intent on facilitating abuse rather than enforce the law, the statement said.

The total lack of enforcement can be seen in places such as Buġibba, where the authorities have allowed the db Group to do as it pleases and seize a substantial part of the coast illegally. The same thing happened in Mellieħa, where the same db Group decided to occupy the Mellieħa square with tables and chairs without having the necessary permits to do so.

The deafening silence on the part of the authorities has led residents to come together to fight for their right to free, safe, and unhindered public access, the statement said. Activists and residents have worked on a policy document, which they presented during the press conference, with a number of demands and proposals that are being officially sent to the concerned authorities for the situation to be seriously addressed.

Among their demands, they are asking for:

1. Review of Legislation: the current OCAs policy needs to be revised, strengthened and enforced;

2. Release of Information: there needs to be transparency in the way permits are granted, especially by the Lands Authority;

3. Right of Action: a right of action should be introduced giving any person the right to sue for the revocation of any encroachment granted in the event that any permit conditions are breached.

The residents and activists reiterated that it is time for the interests of common citizens to be given priority. They stressed that if the authorities continue to ignore their pleas for action, more residents will continue to come together to fight for their rights.