Roads projects risking EU agriculture funds, ADPD warns

The Green Party has condemned Malta’s ever-increasing destruction of arable land, saying it farmers’ livelihoods are being threatened local produce being undermined.

Addressing the press near the Mrieħel bypass, ADPD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said the roadworks project just off the Cnetral Link was the result of a transport policy dictated solely by private vehicles.

“Our dependency on private transport is a reflection on decades-long successive governments’ lack of action in introducing measures promoting sustainable mobility,” Cacopardo said, warning that Malta risks losing EU funds on agriculture as more fields make way for roads.

“Although Partit Laburista promised an expenditure of €700 million towards the greening of urban zones, at the same time it is allowing the remaining open spaces to be clipped with construction and road widening developments.”

The Mrieħel project is endangering one of the last remaining green lungs for Qormi, leading to the wipe-out out of 20 tumoli – around 22,500 sq.m – of arable land. A huge water reservoir will be razed to the ground while several protected olive and pomegranate trees – some hundreds of years old – will need to be uprooted.

“This is another road widening project that will lead us to nowhere because the traffic that should be moving faster along the bypass will still be getting stuck at the Qormi roundabout. This madness should stop now,” ADPD candidate Sandra Gauci added.

Cacopardo said Malta’s political decision was whether it wanted to sacrifice precious land in favour of cars, or preserve agriculture.

“It is possible not to have more cars on the road but the impact of the reduction of farmland is felt increasingly by all.

“While we have all heard about the benefits of open unpolluted spaces another area being used for agriculture is facing the chop in favour of cars. It is being claimed that there is a danger due to the current traffic situation in this area. But the solution is not making it easier for more cars to pass through but reducing the number of cars on the road.”

Cacopardo said Malta’s roads minister, formerly environment minister, had already forgotten the basics of his previous role.

“May we suggest he reads the national transportation strategy that declares that 50 per cent of private cars only travel over a short distance? This is a damning certificate that the implementation of transport policy has been ignored, government has failed!

“We must encourage more use of public transport and not waste resources on roads that continue to destroy the ever decreasing agriculture sector in our country. Agricultural fairs to promote agriculture, on their own will not protect agriculture.”