Malta is being sold a false choice, Friends of the Earth Malta executive director Martin Galea De Giovanni told The Malta Independent on Sunday to explain FoE's opposition to the proposed planning reform bills.

That choice, he said, is to either support endless development or to stand accused of blocking progress. He continued that "this tired narrative of "developers versus environmentalists" is both dishonest and dangerous, as he spoke of how Malta is already one of the most nature-depleted countries in Europe.

"Our air is polluted, our biodiversity is collapsing, and our water system, already fragile on an island previously classified as semi-arid, is now under increasing stress as Malta shifts towards desert status," he stated. He added that in addition, Malta is also physically unable to cater for its current population without placing "unbearable strain" on infrastructure, resources, and the environment. He questioned what can be considered a national crisis if not this.

The NGO last week joined the national protest held in Valletta against the bills, which attracted thousands of activists.

Galea De Giovanni said that FoE's main concerns with regard to Bills 143 and 144, which are the planning bills in question, are that they would weaken existing environmental and planning safeguards by shifting decision-making power away from independent authorities and towards ministerial discretion. He continued that this would therefore make it easier for large-scale or controversial developments to bypass established planning rules, "including mega-projects such as the one at Villa Rosa".

The FoE executive director remarked that Malta's planning system already struggles with overdevelopment and a lack of enforcement, and so he believes these bills would make it harder for citizens and NGOs to hold decision-makers accountable, which he said in turn would put both Malta's national heritage and people's wellbeing at risk.

He commented that this is "not just a technical or legal issue", but rather an issue that directly affects quality of life, as he said that losing access to nature or open spaces near where people live has an impact on mental health and the daily sense of balance. "Nature should not be something people have to travel to find," he said, as he continued that it should form part of one's everyday environment. He added that "just like the infamous 2006 rationalisation process", the impact of these decisions "will be felt for decades to come".

Following the protest, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that the government will not withdraw the bills and that discussions would continue to aim for a reasonable and balanced outcome.

Asked for his reaction to this, Galea De Giovanni said that while the Prime Minister speaks about dialogue and reasonable and balanced solutions, in practice, "he is not listening to NGOs or the communities we work with". Galea De Giovanni said that feedback which had been gathered during community assembly sessions across Malta, shows that there is clear concern about overdevelopment, loss of green spaces, and risks to wellbeing.

He said the government "instead appears to be taking its cues from major developers seeking personal gain, rather than reflecting the needs and priorities of Malta's people".

He stated that meaningful consultation must happen before laws are pushed forward, and not after. "These proposals cannot simply be tweaked," he said. "They need to be withdrawn and reworked through a transparent and participatory process that genuinely strengthens environmental and planning governance."

The FoE executive director remarked that Bills 143 and 144 are "ironically" at odds with the aspirations outlined in the government's Malta Vision 2050 strategy. He commented that while the Vision 2050 strategy is still a work in progress, "the document does attempt to set a new tone", one which he said goes beyond GDP as a "narrow measure of national progress".

He said that Vision 2050 claims that true development should be assessed through broader and more meaningful indicators such as life satisfaction, quality of education, healthcare outcomes, and median disposable income, as well as the strength of personal and community relationships. However, if the proposed reforms go through, then they will "actively undermine many of the very principles Malta Vision 2050 claims to promote".

He argued that one cannot champion quality of life while at the same time "sanctioning unchecked overdevelopment, increased traffic, loss of green space, and environmental degradation". He commented that Vision 2050 risks being reduced to a "branding exercise" if there is no coherence between strategy and policy.

During the protests on Saturday, speakers, including Moviment Graffiti's Andre Callus, said that further protests will be called if the bills in question are not withdrawn. Galea De Giovanni was asked if FoE supports these calls, and whether it will be participating in possible future protests on the matter.

"Yes," he replied. "Friends of the Earth Malta will continue to be part of this broad coalition. This is a critical issue that will shape Malta's environment, democracy, and quality of life for years to come. We stand in solidarity with the over 70 organisations calling for stronger and fairer planning laws that put people and nature first."