Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544723
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 MAY 2026 NEWS ELECTION 2026 MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt Abela won't push planning reforms A new Labour government will not forge ahead with planning reforms put forward last year unless consensus is reached, Robert Abela insisted on Satur- day. He was responding to journal- ists' questions three years after pledging to reform the planning appeals process to ensure works do not start until all appeals are exhausted. The reform was eventually put forward last year within a wider, controversial package of plan- ning reforms that caused out- rage. In May 2023, Abela promised to change the law so that con- struction work is suspended during planning appeals pro- ceedings. Cabinet approved a draft in September 2023, a con- sultation ran until November, and then nothing. In 2025, Bill 143 and Bill 144, which went wildly beyond that mandate were tabled in parliament. The bills were slammed by activists and civil society and described as a "developers' wish list". A consultation board was then set up to find middle ground on the reforms. No consensus has been reached Prime Minister Robert Abela on Saturday morning Roderick Galdes Zammit Lewis TWO former ministers, Roder- ick Galdes and Edward Zammit Lewis, will not be contesting the general election with the La- bour Party for different reasons. Galdes on Saturday an- nounced he had withdrawn his bid to become a candidate to protect the PL from partisan attacks. He pledged to work with others to achieve the best possible result for the PL in the election. Galdes's candidacy had been rejected by the PL executive committee; however, he was contesting the decision, insist- ing there were irregularities during the voting process. Af- ter a week of defiance in which he even proceeded with a cof- fee morning event for constit- uents, it appears, Galdes was convinced to drop his bid by the PL leadership. In his mes- sage announcing the withdraw- KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt