More than 70 organisations have joined the call for Ġustizzja għal Artna in light of the serious and imminent threat our country is facing. This strong and widespread support from Maltese and Gozitan society clearly reflects the collective sense of urgency and concern, which is expected to manifest itself in tomorrow's national protest, on Saturday, 4 October, in Valletta, the organisers said.

The organisations span various sectors of society, including residents' associations, student organisations - among them medical, architecture, and law students - as well as groups advocating for social justice, and the protection of historical and environmental heritage. The call for the immediate withdrawal of Bills 143 and 144, and the three legal notices, has also been endorsed by more than 160 University lecturers and academics, who are warning that this so-called "planning reform" will have extremely dangerous implications for the country's future.

This widespread support should serve as a clear warning to the Government that the Maltese and Gozitan people will not accept that their future, and that of their children on these islands, be destroyed for the benefit of a handful of developers with powerful interests. The residents' associations that have rallied behind the call of Ġustizzja għal Artna - hailing from different localities already suffering the consequences of unplanned and uncontrolled development - are deeply concerned about the implications of these new laws.

Whereas residents' associations have so far been able to unite to fight against illegal developments that would overwhelm their localities and diminish their quality of life, this basic right will now also be taken away. The right of residents to appeal will be severely restricted and, worse still, the Courts will lose the power to revoke irregular permits. Residents have expressed fear that their rights will continue to be trampled upon. While the powers of the Planning Authority to act as it pleases will continue to grow, any recourse to justice for residents will effectively disappear.

Young people are also deeply worried about their future. Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent, an youth organisation recently formed in response to Bills 143 and 144 and the three legal notices, has been at the forefront in strongly condemning these new laws and is urging young people to make their voices heard at the national protest, the organisers said.

Students, including KSU, the medical students' association, and those representing engineering, law, architecture, psychology, and Gozitan students, among others, feel that their future in our country after completing their studies is no longer guaranteed. The new laws being introduced by the Government to serve the interests of major developers threaten to render Malta and Gozo uninhabitable, where quality of life will continue to deteriorate - to the detriment of our physical and mental health.

The Maltese and Gozitan people are being called to turn out in full force on Saturday, 4 October, at 10am in Valletta for the national protest Ġustizzja għal Artna: Kill the Bills! The protest will start at the Law Courts and move toward Castille, the organisers said.

141 Records

7R Lifestyle Malta

ACT

aditus

Association of Students of Commercial Studies (ASCS)

Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura

Bandiera tal-Ħaddiem

Betapsi

BirdLife Malta

Christian Life Community

Classics and Archaeology Students' Association (CASA)

Criminology Students Association (CSA)

Dance Beyond Borders

Department of English Student Association (DESA)

Din l-Art Ħelwa

Din l-Art Ħelwa - Għawdex

Earth Systems Association (ESA)

European Law Students Association (ELSA)

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar

Friends of the Earth Malta

Friends of Villa Frere

Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent

Għaqda Residenti tal-Qrendi

Għaqda Residenti taż-Żurrieq

Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuga

Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi

Għawdix

Gozo University Group (GUG)

Grow 10 Trees

Humanists Malta

Il-Kollettiv

Illum

Junior Chamber of Advocates (JCA)

Kopin

Kunsill Student Universitarji

Light Pollution Awareness Group

Malta Health Students' Association (MHSA)

Malta LGBTIQ Right Moviment (MGRM)

Malta Medical Students' Association (MMSA)

Malta Rangers Unit

Malta University Historical Society (MUHSĦ

MALTA-ARCH

MaltaToday

Maltese Honey Bee Foundation

Marsaskala Residents Network

Marsaxlokk Heritage

Media & Knowledge Sciences Association (MKSA)

Mellieħa Residents

Men Against Violence

Moviment Azzjoni Socjali

Moviment Graffitti

Nature Trust Malta

Occupy Justice

Pembroke Residents

Ramblers Association Malta

ReLeaf

Repubblika

Residenti Beltin

Save the North

S-Cubed

Sharklab Malta

Sliema Residents Association

Society for Architecture & Civil Engineering Students (SACES)

Solidarjetà

Studenti Demokristjani Maltin

Teqirdux Ħad-Dingli

The Malta International Relations Student Association (MIRSA)

University Engineering Student Association

Vuċi Kollettiva

Wirt Għawdex

Wirt iż-Żejtun

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