‘Il-Bankini Taċ-Ċittadini’: Many Take To Valletta To Protest Encroachment Of Malta’s Streets
Activists, alongside several residents, have joined forces to launch a campaign called “Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadini” in a bid to protest the encroachment of our streets by “unrestrained commerce”.
NGOs Moviment Graffitti and FAA, as well as multiple residents took to Valletta to protest the “invasion of our pavements, roads, squares, as well as our coasts, by tables, chairs, and other structures”.
“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,” Moviment Graffitti stated.
Although the protestors emphasised that they do not oppose business, they stressed that the scales have tipped too far in favour of commercial interests at the expense of public well-being.
“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,” Moviment Graffitti said.
The NGO went on to say that “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.”
Moviment Graffitti explained that their primary objective in launching Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadin is to compel authorities to take decisive action to protect the interests of ordinary citizens.
In fact, the residents and activists drafted a policy document outlining demands and proposals. Key demands include a review and reinforcement of existing legislation, enhanced transparency in the permitting process, and the introduction of a right of action to challenge encroachments.
The NGO insisted that “the 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 enforcing the law.”
This issue has been ongoing for some time now, but picked up steam when during a sit down with Lovin Malta back in April, Peppi Azzopardi revealed that he silently protests the current situation by sitting down at outdoor restaurant tables without ordering and refusing to budge when ordered to do so. He then went on to encourage to also take a stand against the take-up of public land by al fresco tables and chairs.
Similarly, journalist Mark Laurence Zammit described how he was forced to jostle dining tourists to make his way to the church in St George’s Square in Gozo, to attend his grandmother’s funeral.
Malta’s President Myriam Spiteri Debono also weighed in on the tables and chairs debate. When asked whether there should be regulation, she was quick to say that enforcement is what’s missing.
“The rules are there, but rules are useless unless they are enforced.”
Do you think our streets are being encroached by businesses?
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