Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/278185
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 16 MARCH 2014 6 News MATTHEW VELLA ALTERNATTIVA Demokratika yesterday launched its manifesto for the European elections, saying the Greens will campaign for transparen- cy and accountability in politics and give citizens "a reasonable voice". The Greens said their manifesto – 'We are Europe!' – reflected a call for a sustainable, democratic and equal European society. "Think of it: taming the forces of fi- nancial markets and of global corpo- rations, effectively fighting tax fraud and evasion, transforming Europe's energy supply to combat runaway cli- mate change. These are all examples of urgent actions that are beyond the capabilities of even the largest of our member states. We need collective cooperation within the EU to deal ef- fectively with these issues," AD said. "By electing Arnold Cassola or Car- mel Cacopardo as an MEP, we Mal- tese will be achieving three objec- tives: we will be breaking once and for all the dualistic tribal mentality that has suffocated Maltese politics for the past 50 years; we will have more influence in Europe since the Maltese people will be represented for the first time in a third group – the Green Group – in the EP; we will have a proven guarantee of transpar- ency, accountability and a reasonable voice for citizens and communities," AD said. Amongst the several issues raised in their manifesto, AD said it wants the EP to overhaul the EU's migra- tion policy, by allowing asylum seek- ers to seek protection legally using humanitarian visas, work towards better coordination of rescue mis- sions at sea, and also abolish the Dublin II rules. "These rules force refugees to stay in the EU country where they first applied for asylum, thus creating a disproportionate burden on coun- tries like Malta. An AD ,ember of the European Parliament will keep working to convince the EPP and the S&D, who to date have only been sympathetic to Malta's dispropor- tionate challenges in this regard in principle, to accept the abolition of the Dublin II rules." AD also wants to see an equal rep- resentation of women in local and EU institutions through affirmative action, and remove practices of dis- crimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and disability. On the economy, AD said it wants to "tame the local building frenzy" and place sustainability at the heart of every major economic decision both locally and in the EU. The European Greens want to pro- pose the creation of a World Envi- ronment Organisation by combining and expanding the role of the differ- ent disjointed agencies that already exist within the United Nations. "We cannot measure the quality of life only in coarse, monetary terms: we need new indicators to comple- ment and extend the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of sus- tainable prosperity and well-being," AD said. "AD in the European Parliament will make sure that management of Malta's limited resources is given the priority it deserves especially in waste management, water use and land use and that directives in this regard are adequately transposed." It also reiterated its commitment to keep insisting on the respect for the spirit of the Birds Directive through the abolition of hunting in spring, and to halt the illegal occupation of the coast and countryside, citing Armier and other illegal develop- ments. AD said it wanted the creation of a Commissioner for Small Countries so that their peculiar situations have a critical voice in EU institutions and decisions. It is also proposing a 'Green New Deal' as a new strategy in job crea- tion: transforming economies with innovation, community action and eco-efficient solutions; regulating once again the financial industry; and resurrect the Eco-Għawdex initiative to increase competitiveness and job creation in Gozo. JAMES DEBONO PLANNING Ombudsman David Pace is calling on the Malta Environ- ment and Planning Authority to take immediate action against a printing press operating without a permit in Luqa, whose operations are disturb- ing the sleep of some nearby resi- dents. In his investigation, Pace found that no action has been taken by MEPA in the past two years despite a decision of the Court of Appeal in 2012, which confirmed the validity of an enforce- ment notice against the illegal print- ing press issued in 2010. Andrew Spiteri, who presented the complaint to Pace, has complained that over the past few years, he was unable to sleep properly because of the noise coming from the Miller Distributors printing press in Tarxien road in Luqa. A medical consultant has prescribed pills to Spiteri and his daughter to help them sleep at night. Since 1995, MEPA has issued three enforcement orders against illegalities on the same site. The enforcement issued in 1995 was later withdrawn after the illegality was removed two years later. In 2009 another enforce- ment order was issued against the use of the premises as a "digital" printing press. Another enforcement order was issued a year later. The owner of the printing press ap- pealed against the enforcement order issued in 2010 against the use of part of the building as a printing press. MEPA's appeal's board turned down this appeal in June 2011. Subsequently the owner presented an appeal in the law courts against this decision but this appeal was turned down in February 2012. In the appeal, the company con- tested the validity of the enforcement order, arguing that it should have been delivered by hand to one of its officials, and not by post. Pace concluded that MEPA should immediately take "direct action" be- cause its enforcement action was ignored and the illegal activity con- tinued even after the decision of the court of appeal. MEPA justified its delay in taking action against this illegal development by referring to a decision of its DCC board in 2010 to grant the owner a permit to construct offices on the same site. The permit was issued "in view that the evidence was enough to show that the operation is not related to a printing press." The Enforcement Directorate claimed that this put it in an am- biguous situation as the board had concluded that activity taking place on this site was not that of a printing press. But Pace concluded that there was enough evidence that the building was being used as a printing press as con- firmed by MEPA's own position in the appeal. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt AD manifesto calls for sustainable, democratic, equal Europe Ombudsman calls on ME PA to act on illegal printing press AD wants to see equal representation of women in local and EU institutions through affirmative action Amidst the several issues raised in their manifesto, AD wants the European Parliament to overhaul the EU migration policy