Update 2: Parliamentary Secretariat denies use of EU funds for uprooting of trees in Gozo

(Adds Parliamentary Secretariat's, Nadur council's replies) EU funds are being used to uproot trees in Gozo, supposedly to discover archaeological remains, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar said. The organisation said this morning that while Qala’s controversial plan was resisted by residents and the local church, the Victoria council was granted a permit to uproot all trees that drew tourists to it-Tokk, provided shade and reduced pollution. Mature trees were being replaced by potted shrubs but these could not grow and function fully in pots. It said that although the reason that EU funds were being used to uproot trees was supposedly to discover archaeological remains beneath the square, the council intended to re-seal the square following excavations. It asked if the trees were actually being removed to make way for more cafes as happened elsewhere in Gozo. FAA also said that Nadur council had just started uprooting all the trees that embellished its squares in a so-called ‘embellishment plan’, claiming they were damaging house drains. FAA reiterated that root damage could be prevented by root-guards in use all over Europe. Although it was being claimed that the Nadur trees were...