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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 2017 8 News Operational Programme I – Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT - CALL V European Regional Development Fund The Managing Authority for Cohesion Policy 2014- 2020 in Malta, the Planning and Priorities Coordination Division (PPCD) within the Ministry of European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto (MEAIM), would like to announce that it will shortly be launching a call for project proposals to be undertaken by Ministries, Government Departments, Public Sector and Public Institutions which are in line with the priorities as identified in the RIS3 strategy and the supporting documents and proposed under the following Priority Axis and Investment Priority: Priority Axis 1 – 'Investing in research, technological development and innovation' Investment Priority (IP) 1a – Enhancing research and innovation (R&I) infrastructure and capacities to develop R&I excellence, and promoting centres of competence, in particular those of European interest The actual launch of the call, together with details of the related Information Session, will be published in the coming weeks and will be available on our webpage: www.eufunds.gov.mt. The related Application Form and relevant documentation (including the list of eligible actions) will be made available through the same link once the call is launched. In the meantime, background documents and further information may be obtained from www.eufunds.gov.mt or from PPCD's email for Calls for Proposals 2014-2020: info.eufunds@gov.mt. This notice should be considered as a pre-announcement to allow interested applicants additional time to prepare projects. Operational Programme I - European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 "Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges" Project part-financed by the European Regional and Development Fund Co-financing rate: 80% European Union; 20% National Funds Water polo pitch for Marsaskala bay JAMES DEBONO ALTHOUGH no planning ap- plication for the development of the American University campus has been presented the domino effect set in motion by the planned campus has started, as the Ministry for Transport and Infrastructure has filed an application to develop a water polo pitch on 6,075 square me- tres of seabed along the Mar- saskala promenade in Triq is- Salini. The application was filed on 22 December and was published on the PA's website this week. The Marsaskala Sports Club was evicted from the old na- tional pool complex in Zonqor Point as part of the land con- cession linked to the American University of Malta project. The government had promised an alternative location to the club to replace the old national pool, which is to be integrated into the university campus planned for the area. The campus will be developed on 35,000 sq.m of land, 18,000 sq.m. of which consists of ODZ land in the vicinity of the pool. In October, Transport Malta had published a notice to mari- ners asking them to remove boats moored in the area in question, in order for a "site in- vestigation" to take place. 150 Marsaskala residents signed a petition that was pre- sented to the Office of the Prime Minister calling for a stop to what they called plans to build a water polo pitch in Marsaskala. As a reaction 150 residents signed a petition objecting to the building of a water polo pitch that would be accessed from Triq is-Salini, which is on the opposite side of Zonqor Point. The petition argues that locating the pitch near a resi- dential zone would cause noise problems for residents, as well as parking problems. The petition was also signed by a number of boat owners who pointed out that Marsaskala Bay was already narrow, making it difficult to navigate. It appealed to the government to relocate the water polo pitch elsewhere on land rather than at sea. Yes we 'can' – it's Hobz biz-zejt makes Maltese Europe's most avid consumers of canned fish JAMES DEBONO DESPITE being surrounded by a sea providing fresh produce, Mal- tese kitchen shelves are still well stocked with canned tuna and mackarel. In fact the Maltese, whose hobz biz-zejt is one of their staple snacks, are the most likely in Eu- rope to buy "tinned" fish products. Malta is the only country among the EU 28 where at least one in every two eat tinned fish at least once a week. 89% of the Maltese buy tinned fish products 'often' or 'from time to time'. Countries with the highest pro- portions of respondents who say this include Malta (89%), Spain (86%) and Slovakia (79%), com- pared with slightly more than half of the respondents in Romania (51%), Germany (51%) and Bel- gium (52%). The survey shows that 46% of the Maltese eat fish at home at least once a week. This makes the Mal- tese the tenth most likely in Eu- rope to eat fish on a weekly basis. In 24 of the 28 Member States, the absolute majority of respond- ents say they buy fresh, 'often' or 'from time to time'. Countries with the highest proportions of respondents who say this include Greece (93%), Malta (90%), Portu- gal (87%) and Spain (87%), while lower proportions can be found in the Czech Republic (52%), Poland (52%) and Sweden (56%). Consumers in Malta (74%), Italy (59%) and Greece (59%) are more likely to buy fishery and aquacul- ture products (FAPs) from the fishmonger, compared with re- spondents in Slovakia (10%), the United Kingdom (19%) and Fin- land (22%). In 25 out of 28 Member States, the majority of respondents say they buy fishery and aquaculture products at the grocery store, su- permarket or hypermarket. More than nine in 10 consumers of FAPs in Finland (95%), Sweden (93%) and Slovakia (92%) say they do so, while consumers in Malta (40%) and Greece (46%) are the less like- ly to buy fishery and aquaculture products at the grocery store, su- permarket or hypermarket. The absolute majority of re- spondents in two countries prefer wild products – Greece and Malta (both 60%) – whilst half of the re- spondents in Portugal (50%) and France (50%) prefer their fishery and aquaculture products to be wild. Least likely to have a pref- erence for wild products are re- spondents in Slovakia (18%). Marsaskala stables and JAMES DEBONO EIGHT stables, a paddock, a vet office and a storage office located in Marsaskala's Munx- ar area – which is designated for its ecological importance – are set for approval after gain- ing the favourable recommen- dation of the case officer. The proposed project will include a built up footprint of 237 square metres. The development, proposed by Nicholas Cassar, is be- ing justified because the new structures will replace 95 sq.m of old structures constructed before 1978 interspersed in the same area. The development is located in the same area which was earmarked for a tourist village in 1995. The proposed development consists of a two-storey build- ing consisting of garage and veterinary office covering 60 sq.m at higher floor level, with an underlying store at the low- er floor level. A massive 105 sq.m timber panelled structure with its first five courses in stone will be built to house eight stables. The proposal includes two paddock areas of 36 sq.m each, which will be enclosed in wooden fencing. To mitigate the visual impact the developers will be planting 32 indigenous trees, consist- ing of fir trees, Sandarac gum trees, and bay laurel and olive trees, to mitigate the visual im- pacts resulting from the devel- opment. The Environment and Re- sources Authority objected to the proposal, particularly in view of the relatively un- developed rural character of the area in question, which is protected as an Area of High Landscape Value and an Area of Ecological Importance. But the case officer argued that despite being located in a protected site the redevel- opment of existing structures is allowed by the rural policy approved in 2014. The policy deems any development con- structed before 1978 as legal. Another recently proposed project named the South-End Agro-Tourism project, pro- posed by contractor Rennie Scicluna, met with disfavour from the Planning Authority in a screening letter issued in 2015. The PA has told the devel- oper that his proposal is not in line with the Rural Policy and Design Guidance's policy be- cause it falls within a Level 2 Area of Ecological Importance, unless it can be demonstrated that the development will not compromise the site schedul- ing characteristics. Start of domino effect with Transport Ministry application