Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1540090
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 OCTOBER 2025 INTERVIEW Andre Callus: 'Planning reforms a devil's pact between Abela and developers' IN his usual fashion, Moviment Graf- fitti's Andre Callus minced no words when speaking about the government's proposed planning reforms, which he described as a devil's pact between de- velopers and the Prime Minister. As we sit down in the NGO's head- quarters in Strada Stretta, Callus jokes that, like many activists, his summer plans were upended when Robert Abela sneakily gifted develop- ers draft reforms that were described as a "developers' wish list. He states that the grievous nature of the reforms leaves Graffitti with no choice but to call for their with- drawal. When asked why they were completely rejecting the reforms in- stead of seeking middle ground, Cal- lus says that such "malice" cannot be fixed, adding that the consultation process that was launched was mere- ly for show. The activist tells MaltaToday that he has no trust in Robert Abela to lis- ten to their concerns. Callus explains that the fate of the environment and the planning sector in Malta is not dependent on a sham public consultation. Rather, it is de- cided by those who can make their voice heard loudest, whether it is the public or developers, whom he de- scribes as the ones really pulling the strings despite never being elected to power. Moviment Graffitti's Andre Callus is convinced that the government's planning reforms are the result of a hellish agreement between Prime Minister Robert Abela and Malta's developers, and that these were imposed on Cabinet just as they are being imposed on the public. He voiced his frustration at Abela's latest trick with Matthew Farrugia