Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1537082
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 JULY 2025 NEWS NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt PN slams government over beach closures THE Nationalist Party (PN) has crit- icised the government for what it de- scribed as a "serious failure" in main- taining Malta's infrastructure, linking recent sewage spills and beach closures to a lack of investment and long-term planning. The criticism comes just two days af- ter the government celebrated receiving 13 Blue Flag beach certifications, one of which—Fajtata Bay in Marsaskala—was promptly closed due to contamination. In a statement on Friday, the PN ac- cused the government of turning a Blue Flag into a "Red Alert" in under 48 hours, arguing that the closure of Fajta- ta Beach after a sewage leak reflects deeper structural issues and negligence in infrastructure management. "This is yet another structural failure that reveals how the Government has done nothing for years to protect and maintain the country's infrastructure, even more so in light of an ever-grow- ing and uncontrolled population," the PN said. The party also warned that Malta's water quality, public health, and rep- utation as a tourist destination are all at risk. It highlighted a series of recent pollution incidents, including sewage spills in Sliema's Qui-Si-Sana, the Cha- let area, Fond Għadir, Xlendi, and the stretch between St Thomas Bay and Fajtata, as evidence of systemic neglect. "Just as a house deteriorates when left without maintenance, our country re- gresses when infrastructure is not prop- erly cared for and maintained in a time- ly and planned manner," the statement read. The party said Malta needs a national strategy to handle the increasing pres- sures on ageing sewage and stormwater systems, especially in the face of a grow- ing population. The PN also referenced a recent pe- tition presented by residents and envi- ronmental NGO Flimkien Għal Amb- jent Aħjar (FAA) calling for action to stop the discharge of sewage into Mal- tese seas. The petition, supported by Nationalist MEP Peter Agius, will now be presented to the European Parlia- ment, the party confirmed. This follows a European Court rul- ing eight months ago that found Malta guilty of breaching EU environmental law for releasing untreated or partially treated sewage into the sea — a practice the PN says continues today despite the verdict. "The same government that boasts about the 'quality' of our beaches ends up having to close them within days," the PN said. "This shows a clear lack of vision, planning, and responsibility." Reiterating its position, the National- ist Party called for the urgent develop- ment of a national infrastructure plan, capable of meeting current and future demands. "The PN believes the Maltese and Gozitans deserve to enjoy the beaches in safety, with a clean environment and infrastructure that meets today's needs while preparing for tomorrow's. It also believes that tourists should be able to enjoy what they come here for. If the Government continues to patch things up with makeshift solutions, all we'll end up with is a mess." CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Officials from the directorate and the Waste Water Unit within the Water Services Corporation (WSC) investi- gated the case and swiftly traced the source of the leak to a nearby estab- lishment. Despite identifying the source of the contamination, no government enti- ty took action against the polluter, as similar cases of pollution continue to go unpunished. A spokesperson for the Health Min- istry, which the EHD falls under, stat- ed that legal action is only taken if the operator of the establishment fails to comply with the notice issued by the directorate or does not carry out the necessary works within the stipulated timeframe. "In this particular case, swift correc- tive action was taken to remove the blockage, with the assistance of the Waste Water Unit of the WSC, under the supervision of EHD officials," the spokesperson explained. The area was eventually deemed safe for swimming. Just a few days before summer began, a restaurant had contaminated part of Marsaskala's St Thomas Bay. The res- taurant faced no charges, despite dis- charging foul water into the sea via a rainwater culvert. Last year, a hotel in St Julian's was let off scot-free despite contaminating St George's Bay with sewage. The hotel's private sewage connection had been accidentally discontinued, resulting in drainage seeping into the rocks and entering the locality's stormwater sys- tem. Similarly, just a stone's throw away in Balluta Bay, the beach was consistently flagged for the presence of E. coli and I. enterococci bacteria—germs typically associated with sewage. Nonetheless, no one was held accountable for the persistent contamination. Sea pollution traced to business, but no fine given Qui-Si-Sana (Photo: James Bianchi/ MaltaToday)