It-tnaqqir tal-ispazji pubbliċi tagħna qiegħed kulma jmur dejjem jiżdied. Il-bankini, it-toroq, il-pjazez u anke l-kosta tagħna qed jiġu maħnuqa bl-imwejjed, siġġijiet u strutturi oħra mqiegħda minn stabbilmenti kummerċjali għad-detriment tad-dritt bażiku tagħna li naċċessaw u ngawdu bla xkiel l-ispazji pubbliċi.
Il-bilanċ li jisħqu fuqu l-awtoritajiet huwa evidenti li mhux qed jintlaħaq, u ta’ dan qed ibatu r-residenti li jgħixu f’lokalitajiet assedjati mill-kummerċ bla rażan. L-awtoritajiet responsabbli, jiġifieri l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar, l-Awtorità tal-Artijiet u l-Awtorità Maltija għat-Turiżmu, qed jirrifjutaw li jħarsu l-interessi tal-poplu u minflok qed iħallu l-abbuż jirrenja. Wasal iż-żmien li din is-sitwazzjoni tiġi indirizzata bis-serjetà.
Nhar is-Sibt 27 ta’ April nistidnukom għal konferenza stampa sabiex inniedu l-kampanja Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadini. Se niltaqgħu fl-10.30am, fi Triq il-Merkanti (ħdejn il-MUŻA), il-Belt Valletta.
F’din il-konferenza stampa se jingħaqdu magħna għadd ta’ gruppi ta’ residenti minn lokalitajiet differenti, fosthom il-Belt Valletta, Tas-Sliema, Wied il-Għajn, Buġibba, u l-Mellieħa. Flimkien magħhom ħejjejna dokument b’għadd ta’ talbiet intiżi biex iservu ta’ soluzzjoni għall-problemi li qed jinħolqu sforz l-abbuż tal-ispazju pubbliċi tagħna. Dan id-dokument se nkunu qed nippreżentawh uffiċjalment waqt din il-konferenza stampa bl-għan li l-awtoritajiet konċernati jisimgħu t-talbiet tagħna u jwettquhom fil-prattika.
Inħeġġukom tingħaqdu magħna u mar-residenti sabiex flimkien insemmgħu leħinna kontra l-abbuż u s-serq tal-ispazji pubbliċi tagħna!
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Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadini – Press Conference
The sight of public spaces completely overtaken by tables, chairs and other street furniture has become all too common. Tables and chairs placed by catering establishments have clogged up our pavements, streets, squares, and even our coast, trampling over our basic right to safe and unobstructed public access.
The so-called balance that the authorities always emphasise is evidently not being achieved, and the dire consequences of this are being felt by the residents of localities besieged by commercial interests. Enforcement is non-existent, and the authorities responsible for this mess, namely the Planning Authority, the Lands Authority, and the Malta Tourism Authority, are refusing to protect our interests, allowing the abuse of public land to go on unimpeded instead. We believe that the time has come to seriously address this state of affairs.
On Saturday 27th April we invite you to join us for a press conference that will launch the Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadini campaign. We shall be meeting in Merchants Street (next to MUŻA) at 10.30am.
Different resident groups hailing from several localities, among which Valletta, Tas-Sliema, Marsaskala, Buġibba and Mellieħa, will be joining us for this press conference. Together with them we have prepared a document with several demands meant to provide solutions to the problems brought about by the encroachment on public spaces. We will be officially presenting this document during this press conference in hope that the authorities listen to the residents’ pleas and take immediate action.
We encourage you to join us and these residents to take a stand and make our voices heard against the abuse and theft of public land!