Press Release

5th March 2016

Din l-Art Helwa strongly recommends that Parliament approves unanimously the Public Domain Bill put forward by  Dr Jason Azzopardi, Dr Ryan Callus and Ms Marthese Portelli. This bill is currently being discussed in parliament.

The Public Domain bill provides protection for state owned property and sites, since it imposes restrictions upon the government as to what it can do with its land. In doing so, no speculation on state owned property can occur without it being declassified. DLH recommends that the system for declassification should be fool proof and not create a loophole that would undermine the Public Domain Bill.

Areas being proposed for public domain listing include valleys, forested areas, nature reserves, open countryside, squares, forts and sites which are part of our cultural, environmental and historic heritage. These sites will be given the protection needed to safeguard them for the enjoyment of future generations.

DLH also welcomes the opportunity given to the public including NGOs to recommend state property and land that can be classified as public domain. This will empower the public to put forward tracts of land to become parks.

Malta has the highest density of population in the EU at 1,346 persons per square kilometre. Such a bill would provide guaranteed open spaces as a green lung for the ever increasing density of the Maltese Islands.