A number of Maltese youth and student organisations have called for Planning Authority Executive Chairperson Johann Buttigieg to resign following the publication of private chats between him and businessman Yorgen Fenech.In a joint statement, the organisations said the exchanges raised “serious questions” about the relationship between political power, regulatory bodies and business interests in Malta.The statement comes after Times of Malta published transcripts of WhatsApp conversations between Buttigieg and Fenech dating back to 2019, when Fenech was CEO of the Tumas Group.The chats, which were retrieved from Fenech’s phone following his arrest in November 2019, included discussions about development projects Fenech was interested in pursuing, as well as an exchange in which the two spoke about the prospect of “doing business” together.According to the published exchange, Fenech told Buttigieg that they would “do a bit of business”, to which Buttigieg replied that he would go into business with him “wherever you want”. Fenech later told jurors that the exchange amounted to “business jargon”.The youth organisations argued that such exchanges pose a serious conflict-of-interest concern given Buttigieg’s position at Malta’s planning regulator.“When the person responsible for regulating development is discussing commercial opportunities with someone whose interests fall under the Authority’s responsibility, the conflict-of-interest becomes clear,” they said.They argued that relationships of this nature risk creating a system in which “access, personal relationships and proximity to those exercising public power” can become more important than transparent and impartial rules.‘Johann Buttigieg should resign’The organisations stopped short of alleging that the exchanges prove any criminal wrongdoing, stressing that questions of criminal responsibility should be left to the competent authorities.However, they argued that the standard expected of those leading public institutions should go beyond simply avoiding criminal conduct.“In light of these revelations, we believe Johann Buttigieg should resign as Executive Chairperson of the Planning Authority,” the organisations said.They argued that the person leading Malta’s planning regulator should be “above reasonable suspicion” when it comes to private commercial relationships with individuals whose interests are regulated by the authority.Buttigieg first became Planning Authority CEO in 2013 and subsequently served as its executive chairman. He left the authority in 2019 before heading the Malta Tourism Authority until 2022.He was brought back to lead the Planning Authority in January 2025, with his return presented as an effort to improve efficiency and address a backlog of planning applications. A police file concerning the chats was opened more than six years ago, but no action was taken against Buttigieg.The organisations questioned the decision to return Buttigieg to the helm of the authority years after the exchanges had come to the attention of authorities, saying it raised questions over how conflicts of interest and public appointments are assessed.Youth organisations call for wider planning reformBeyond Buttigieg’s position, the organisations said the controversy should spark a broader discussion about Malta’s planning system.They argued that concentrating significant regulatory and discretionary powers among a small number of institutions and individuals creates conditions in which favouritism can flourish.They called for stronger conflict-of-interest rules, greater transparency and more institutional checks and balances.“Malta should not have a system where knowing the right person can appear to matter as much as following the right process,” they said.The statement was endorsed by Students For Liberty Malta, JEF Malta, CASA, KSU Malta, HoASA and ESA and comes amid numerous public calls for Buttigieg’s resignation.Do you think Johann Buttigieg should resign?•