Malta’s Government Continues To Hide Blue Lagoon Beach Vendors Agreement
Malta’s government continues to refuse to provide the agreements signed with concessionaires with sunbed and umbrella operators at Comino’s Blue Lagoon.
Malta’s Tourism Authority has rejected countless freedom of information requests and complaints, citing commercial confidentiality and the operators’ privacy.
However, freedom of information requests of this nature have been accepted before with the FOI system now notoriously the very opposite of what it originally set out to do.
The identities of the operators have already been revealed in reports as Daniel Refalo, who is a close collaborator of Joseph Portelli, and Mark Cutajar, the brother of Labour MEP Josianne Cutajar.
Lovin Malta sent out the request soon after activists from Moviment Graffitti descended upon the overpopulated and oversaturated yet iconic bay in June, sparking major debate over practices there.
As it stands, deckchair vendors are covering every inch of the shoreline with deckchairs and umbrellas from the crack of dawn, making it practically impossible to enjoy the site unless one is ready to pay €12.50 a head.
The government, on its part, has made practically minuscule compromises, refusing to rock the boat of the business owners who have laid claim to the area.
Lovin Malta will be challenging the decision.
What do you think of the government’s lack of transparency?
READ NEXT: Hotel Or Seaside Apartments? Farsons CEO Casts Serious Doubt Over Joseph Portelli’s Xlendi Plans
