Seven NGOs Hit Back At Malta Developer Association Head’s ‘Business Funding’ Allegation
Seven environmental NGOs have publicly distanced themselves from claims by Malta Developers’ Association president Michael Stivala that “the vast majority” of NGOs are funded by businessmen in an attempt o damage their competitors.
The Ramblers’ Association of Malta, Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Birdlife Malta, Friends of the Earth (Malta), Nature Trust Malta, Din L-Art Ħelwa and Moviment Graffitti issued a joint statement after Stivala passed these remarks in a Times of Malta interview.
“The undersigned environmental NGOs refer to the allegations made by the President of the Malta Developers’ Association (MDA) Micheal Stivala during an interview given to the Times of Malta,” the statement reads. “During this interview Stivala alleged that eNGOs accept money from businesses to carry out campaigns and file court cases to harm their competitors.”
“He added that this is done by ‘almost all NGOs’ ‘almost all the time’ followed by stating that he does not have any proof of this fact.”
“We reject these serious allegations and clearly state that we do not engage in such practices. We challenge Mr. Stivala to substantiate these outrageous claims or else expect him to immediately retract his statements.”
Michel Stivala (right) with Environment Minister Miriam Dalli (centre)
In his interview, Stivala said that businesses that want to damage their competitors often fund certain NGOs to file legal objections against their projects. He refused to name names and admitted he doesn’t have “100% tangible proof” but said that “practically the majority of NGOs” are engaging in this kind of behaviour.
Asked by Lovin Malta how he found out this practice is going on, Stivala said he received reliable information from “people in the development industry”.
“We can see certain projects constantly getting attacked and receiving negative press and others not receiving the same treatment. Some projects which have less impact get attacked way more often than those which have a greater impact – it all depends on who the owner is.”
“NGOs have every right to appeal, but I don’t think it’s fair when there’s an agenda behind certain attacks.”
What do you make of Michael Stivala’s allegations?
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