Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527558
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 OCTOBER 2024 NEWS KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Environment Protection Act, 2016 Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (S.L. 549.46) NOTICE OF SUBMISSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT Coastal defence system at Marsalforn Bay consisting of the reconstruction of Santa Marija breakwater, construction of a rubble mound berm on the Menqa site, two rubble mound groynes at the valley outfall and replenishment of the beach. Site at, Il-Bajja Ta' Marsalforn, Marsalforn, Żebbug (Gozo) PA 02106/21 (EA 00004/21) Notice is hereby being given that an EIA Report has been submitted to the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) in connection with the above-mentioned application. Digital copies of the EIA Report are available on the ERA website: https://era.org.mt/era- project/pa_2106_21/. Digital copies of the same document are also available at the Żebbug (Gozo) Local Council and the ERA offices in Marsa for public inspection. Anyone who wishes to make any submissions on environmental matters should write to the Director of Environment and Resources, Environment and Resources Authority, Hexagon House, Spencer Hill, Marsa MRS 1441, or send an email to eia.malta@era.org.mt, by the 6 th of November 2024. Date: 6 th October 2024. Disclaimer: The Authority is committed to protect the personal data and privacy of the public in general. You are being informed that when making submissions, your personal data will not be disclosed or published unless within twelve (12) hours you give consent to the Authority to disclose your personal data. Provided that the Authority may disclose your personal data in those cases where it is required to do so, in order to comply with the applicable Laws. Repubblika unveils anti-corruption manifesto REPUBBLIKA unveiled an an- ti-corruption manifesto that calls for several legal changes to strengthen the fight against corruption, financial crime and abuse of public office. The manifesto also calls for constitutional amendments and new laws to strengthen media freedom and the pro- tection of journalists. Repubblika also wants the criminalisation of 'ecocide', a crime of corruption at the ex- pense of the environment. The 34-page document was released yesterday by the an- ti-corruption NGO as part of the events marking seven years since the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Repubblika published a redacted version of the manifesto not to fall foul of a court decree that has banned any commentary on Caruana Galizia's 2017 assas- sination and people accused of her murder. The publication titled De- fending Integrity – An An- ti-corruption Strategy And Manifesto, identifies 10 prior- ity areas Repubblika will focus on to mobilise what it is call- ing, "a civic anti-corruption alliance". The NGO appealed to other civil society organisations to join its efforts to coordinate anti-corruption initiatives. The organisation wants civil society to monitor the conduct of public authorities and de- nounce and act on wrongdo- ing whenever this is revealed. The NGO also appealed to specific segments of the pop- ulation, among others educa- tors and donors, to join the fight against corruption. Repubblika's priority are- as include renewed pressure on the authorities to imple- ment the recommendations of the Daphne Caruana Gal- izia public inquiry. The rec- ommendations included the introduction of a new law on unexplained wealth that is necessary in the fight against financial crime; the introduc- tion of a specific crime for holders of public office who hinder or try to hinder police investigations; the introduc- tion of a new law that crimi- nalises 'a mafia-style associa- tion' similar to what is present in the Italian penal code; the criminalisation of abuse of of- fice by public officials; and a new code of ethics for public officials and elected represent- atives. But Repubblika also wants reforms to the Freedom of In- formation Act to ensure it op- erates even when authorities are reluctant to reveal request- ed information. It also wants rules for funding of political activities and the introduction of state funding of political parties. The group also wants the creation of special anti-cor- ruption magistrates with a dedicated pool of judicial po- lice reporting directly to them. Repubblika is also calling for a reform of the whistleblow- er law to ensure people who come forward with informa- tion of wrongdoing are truly protected. The organisation is also calling for the social reuse of assets confiscated from crim- inals and amendments that grant legal standing to civil society organisations to speak for victims of corruption, whether identified or not, dur- ing criminal proceedings. Similarly, Repubblika wants environmental NGOs to be given legal standing to speak for the environment during criminal proceedings against perpetrators of corruption that is done at the expense of the environment. Repubblika President Vicki Ann Cremona said in her in- troduction that people's in the country's administration are "accountable to everyone, not just to those who voted for them". "It is, therefore, imperative that the scrutiny of the con- duct of people who are grant- ed political power is constant, consistent, and vigilant. This is why we argue for strong and independent institutions em- powered and expected to act to prevent, detect, and punish wrongdoing even if – espe- cially if – the perpetrators are people of power," she said. Repubblika unveils manifesto that appeals for a civic anti- corruption alliance to monitor behaviour and actions of public authorities