Graffitti hits back with 192-strong residents’ petition against Dingli roadworks

Updated at 10:40am with Nationalist Party statement

Almost 200 Dingli residents have signed a Moviment Graffitti petition against a controversial ‘schemed’ road that will connect two Dingli alleyways and eat into an agricultural field, set outside the building zones.

For the fourth day in a row, Graffitti activists are on-site in a bid to prevent Infrastructure Malta from constructing a controversial street on ODZ land. 

“Among others, the signatories are also calling for a change to the Local Plan in Dingli so that this road can be removed from the schedule because, in addition to having no use, it will do great damage to the cultural and agricultural heritage as well as our natural environment,” the NGO said in a letter to Transport Minister Ian Borg and Infrastructure Malta chief Frederick Azzopardi. 

The petition was signed by 192 residents in Sqaq il-Museum, Triq San Ġwann Bosco and Daħla tas-Sienja.

“The state roads agency is attempting to justify its questionable and insatiable desire for this road to be built, no matter the cost, and is now using a handful of residents to vilify Moviment Graffitti for its actions in stopping heavy machinery from starting works,” the NGO said on Facebook. 

Yesterday, 15 Dingli residents filed a judicial protest against Graffitti over roadworks, accusing the NGO of representing them ‘illicitly and illegally.’

Graffitti spokesperson Andre Callus had previously accused Infrastructure Malta of building a connecting road between two alleyways without a permit by claiming the local plan allows the road to be built. However, most of the area will be built up on land that is outside development zones.

In a statement circulated on Monday, the agency said that it would be going through with the plans and method statements of the road while continuing talks with the owners of adjacent lands to discuss and conclude “applicable expropriation terms”.

PM condemns 'arrogant behaviour' of Infrastructure Malta

In a statement, the Nationalist Party condemned the “arrogant behaviour of the Infrastructure Malta.”

The party said once again Infrastructure Malta had started carrying out works in Dingli on private agricultural lands before the necessary expropriation of those lands was carried out, with the blessing of Transport Minister Ian Borg and Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia. 

“This was confirmed by the number of farmers, residents, as well as the Salesian community, who in a statement issued on social media confirmed that their private land has never been expropriated. This is in addition to the fact that they have never been consulted about the works being carried out on the same land.” 

The party pointed out that the Dingli local council had the same reaction, calling on the authorities concerned that any intervention should be carried out in full protection of the surrounding environment and that be executed in its entirety, a process which has not yet been concluded even though the infrastructural work on the site had already started.

“Although the Opposition recognizes that infrastructure works in the country are necessary and must be carried out, they must be carried out with full respect for the surrounding natural environment, in broad consultation with residents, farmers, villagers and all those involved,” the PN said.