Malta: NGOs’ right to appeal planning permits enshrined in the law – Din l-Art Helwa

Earlier this week, the Planning Authority in Malta claimed that environmental NGOs do not have the right to legally dispute large-scale projects. It justifies this statement with the fact that a member of the Planning Board already represents the environmental NGO sector as a whole. The NGO Din l-Art Helwa, in contrast, submits that this right of NGOs is enshrined in law and a fundamental principle of the Aarhus Convention. The Authority’s claim therefore has no legal basis.