A coalition of several organisations in Malta has been formed after the cabinet’s controversial proposals to make a hunting lobby responsible for public woodlands l-Aħrax and Miżieb.

Spażji Miftuħa (Open Spaces) is dedicated to the preservation of public space around the islands and will work to safeguard its ecological features and demand transparency from relevant authorities.

The coalition, composed of twenty groups, condemned the limitation of public access to such open spaces “particularly to suit such a small part of a minority group” and accuse Malta’s Cabinet of treating such public assets as its own.

They also expressed their disappointment in the Prime Minister’s refusal to meet them to discuss proposals to hand over these woodlands to hunting lobby FKNK and demanded the publication of all agreements of the management of these sites. 

“There should never be the need to file any freedom of information requests to obtain this information, which should always be immediately available in the public domain, without any secrecy whatsoever,” they wrote.

Spażji Miftuħa are reaching out to the public for their opinions about agreement on Aħrax and Miżieb by signing a petition and filling in a brief survey.

The petition has gained over 7,600 signatories within a few days.

The coalition includes Archaeological Society of Malta, BICREF, Bicycle Advocacy Group, BirdLife Malta, Din L-Art Ħelwa, Extinction Rebellion Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Franciscan Friars (OFM) Malta, Friends of the Earth Malta, Futur Ambjent Wieħed, Għaqda Siġar Maltin, Isles of the Left, Kamra tal-Periti, Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU), Moviment Graffitt, Nature Trust Malta, NASoM (Noise Abatement Society Malta, Outdoor Recreation and Camping Association Malta, Ramblers Association Malta and The Grow 10 Trees Project.

What do you make of the newly formed coalition?