Planning Authority has turned into Permit Authority, PN says

The government has stripped the Planning Authority (PA) of its integrity, rendering it powerless to make sound decisions, according to the Nationalist Party.

In a statement on Tuesday, PN MPs Stanley Zammit, Rebekah Borg, and Julie Zahra criticised the PA, describing it as a "Permits Authority" that has become so arrogant it acts as though it is above the law. 

The PN claimed that the Labour government has dismantled the PA's ability to take action and has remained complacent in the face of poor decisions that contravene court judgments. They warned that this situation fosters corruption and allows the powerful to continue exploiting the system.

They accused the PA of breaking laws, disregarding the Ombudsman, undermining entities like the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, ignoring its own experts, and defying court rulings that have declared certain developments illegal and in violation of the PA's own policies.

The MPS also criticised Prime Minister Robert Abela's government for making empty promises and taking no real action against the atrocities occurring in development. The PN argued that a culture of sanctioning has emerged, where those who abuse the system can simply pay a fine to continue their actions.

The PN called for a change in leadership, underlining the need for decisive, transparent, and consistent decisions that prioritise public trust and environmental protection.