Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/464575
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2015 2 News Environment Minister learns about 'planned' MEPA amnesty through the media MARTINA BORG ENVIRONMENT Minister Leo Brincat has told MaltaToday that the only information he had about the MEPA amnesty for building irregularities had come from the media. The planned amnesty, to has been given the thumbs down by environmental NGOs. "I would prefer to give a judg- ment about the issue once I see the actual proposals being made," Brincat said, when asked for his opinion on the message such an amnesty would convey. It is being widely circulated that a proposal for a MEPA pardon re- garding planning infringements that occurred prior to 2013 is in the final stages of completion. Ac- cording to the reports the author- ity is hoping to roll out the scheme by summer this year, and it is meant to wipe out a large chunk of MEPA's pending enforcement cases. There are around 10,000 cases which would translate into €20 million in revenue for the cash-strapped MEPA. Brincat said he felt it was "unfair" to pass judgement before knowing the exact proposal being made. "Once the proposal is actually presented, the ministry will make a purely technical evaluation and pass its comments to the govern- ment where a proper decision will be taken," Brincat added. Last week, Malta's environment NGOs came out sharply against the reported plans for the amnesty on building illegalities. "MEPA is finally relinquishing all pretence of its role as a regu- latory authority, and putting into question its very reason for exist- ence," Astrid Vella, coordinator of Flimkien ghal-Ambjent Ahjar said. "We have raised the point to the government that develop- ers have MEPA 'by the short and curlies'." In 2012 and 2013, amnesties were introduced to resolve minor infringements of sanitary regula- tions and such like. But Vella said a further amnesty now can only be intended to absolve gross and un- acceptable violations "even poten- tially to have entire illegal f loors approved". She said this made a mockery of Local Plan height limitations. "Over-development is reaching new heights, as this government seeks to stimulate growth in an industry that has already stif led urban areas." She added that the amnesty would foster a culture of abuse. "This is another action for MEPA to not do its job, rendering the very existence of MEPA questionable, debasing Parliament and making a mockery of the judiciary and re- spect for law in Malta." MIRIAM DALLI THE United Nations will be forced to intervene and fill the vacuum with concrete action if the rival factions in Libya fail to agree, according to the UN's special representative to Libya, Bernardino Leon. He also said that "all options are on the table" when it comes to address- ing Libya's worsening situation. "An agreement with all stakehold- ers should be a priority," Leon said. "If this fails, there is no doubt the Se- curity Council will ask the UN to fill the vacuum with concrete action and decisions." As Libya marks its fourth anniver- sary of the revolution which toppled dictator Muammar Gaddafi, the country remains divided in factions, threatened by extremists' forces. For months Leon has been leading peace talks in Geneva, but no concrete progress has been achieved. "Libya's problems do not just affect Libya," Leon said, referring to the ripple effect of migration, economic upset and political instability which the situation was having on the rest of the Mediterranean basin and the European Union. He was speaking on the One TV breakfast show via phone call. Leon has urged all Libyans to re- commit to the revolution's goals of building a democratic state based on human rights and the rule of law and to agree to the formation of a national unity government. Libya now has two government and two parliaments – one housed in To- bruk and the other in Tripoli. The Tobruk government, led by Prime Minister Abdallah al-Thinni, enjoys international recognition as Libya's legitimate government. Thinni's gov- ernment was forced out of the capital after a group linked to the western city of Misrata seized the capital Tripoli in August, dividing the North African country and setting up a ri- val assembly. Tripoli's Omar al-Hassi took over when a ruling of the Libyan Supreme Court declared the country's elected parliament unconstitutional. The rapidly deteriorating situation resulted in a stronger presence of ex- tremists with al-Thinni confirming that "IS and al Qaeda" were present in his country. He is now seeking the West's support to intervene in Libya. On the other hand, a spokesman for the Tripoli-based parliament called Egypt's recent air strikes against IS militants in Derna, in retaliation for the brutal killing of Egyptian Chris- tians, "an attack on the country's sovereignty". Over 60 militants are believed to have been killed in the Egyptian attack. Egypt's and France's Presidents are calling for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council while Italy has warned that the Libya crisis re- quires "wisdom, understanding and prudence". Egypt's foreign minister is currently in New York to call for an international intervention. Also speaking on ONE TV, the Egyptian ambassador to Malta, Mag- da Baraka, said the mass beheading could not go ignored: "What hap- pened to those Egyptians could not go without retaliation. This is not only an Egyptian problem. Coun- tries on the front line – southern EU countries, Egypt and even Tunisia – need to work together to sort the situation out." Asked what she hoped would be achieved from a Washington meet- ing on terrorism set to be attended by 20 countries, Baraka was similarly direct. "We will dialogue with those who want dialogue but those who do not need to be tackled properly," she said. "The force of the UN is much stronger than that of the militias. Those who enforce their will against coexistence will have to be isolated and dealt with." Malta, Italy urge EU to give Libya the attention it merits Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella was in Rome yesterday morning where he held a meeting with Italian minister Paolo Gentiloni on the lat- est developments in Libya. The two sides also discussed the different scenarios that could devel- op in the prevailing circumstances. According to a statement issued by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, "the phenomenon of the spread of ISIS ji- hadists as well as the issue of migra- tion featured high on the list of topics discussed". "Both ministers agreed that the sit- uation needed constant monitoring and expressed hope that the efforts of the UN special envoy Bernardino Leon would lead to all relevant fac- tions in Libya coming together to achieve continual peace, stability and security under the leadership of a na- tional unity government," the minis- try's statement read. The ministers also expressed hope that the ongoing discussions at the UN Security Council would succeed to sensitise world opinion on the sit- uation in Libya. Vella and Gentiloni agreed to keep constant contact and strive together to raise more awareness of the Libyan problem within the European Union. "The message being that besides the problem of Ukraine the EU has also an equally serious problem to tackle, which is Libya," the ministry said. For its part, Alternattiva Demokra- tika called on Malta and Italy to work closely with Egypt and France on UN-mandated intervention. In a media release in reaction to reports in which IS allegedly warned Italy that if attacked "they would send over 500,000 migrants to Italy", AD chairman Arnold Cassola said the situation was becoming "really dan- gerous". "Unilateral intervention is cer- tainly not conducive to solving the present situation. Now that the French and Egyptian governments have asked for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Coun- cil to discuss the situation in Libya, it is important that the Maltese and Italian governments, that have already asked for a UN mandated intervention in Libya, step up their diplomatic efforts with the inter- national community to ensure that the UN takes urgent decisions on this serious threat to civilization," Cassola said. Lack of Libyan cooperation may force UN's hand – UN special envoy Minister Leo Brincat