Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/859132
WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 Newspaper post PAGE 9 • Editorial WEDNESDAY • 9 AUGUST 2017 • ISSUE 550 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY PAGE 8 PAUL COCKS THE increasing number of illegal ticket touts in Malta is raising the ire of legitimate business owners who are complaining of lost business and an utter lack of intervention by the police and the authorities, MaltaToday has learned. A large number of young foreigners have been observed in the past few weeks – mostly in Paceville, St Julian's and Sliema – selling tickets for boat parties, concerts, beach parties, cruis- es and nightclubs. Contrary to what used to happen in the past, when interested passers-by would have been directed to a booking office, these sales are finalised on the spot, with cash exchanging hands in broad daylight. This is illegal, in that one cannot carry out financial transactions on the streets, outside a fixed outlet, or – in this case – a licensed booking office. PAGE 3 Migrant vessel escorted away from Sicily as Italy and Malta stand their ground on stranded rescue vessel YANNICK PACE THE Golfo Azzurro, the stranded vessel carrying three rescued people who were saved some 100 miles off the Libyan coast, was refused entry to the port of Pozzallo yesterday evening, as the Italian Coast Guard intercepted the vessel as it made its way North. The vessel, which is operated by Proactiva Open Arms – a Spanish NGO that carries out search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean – had been left stranded in international waters after both Italy and Malta refused it entry. Then, early yesterday afternoon, it appeared to have started trav- elling North, towards Sicily. The vessel was originally believed to be operated by the Dutch NGO Boat Refu- gee Foundation, however a spokesman for the Dutch embassy said the vessel had recently shifted ownership to Proactiva Open Arms. Maltese authorities are ar- guing that since the rescue operation took place in an area making Lampedusa the nearest port of call, the vessel should be taken to Italy. Sale transactions outside of a fixed licensed structure are illegal The Golfo Azzurro is currently operated by the SAR NGO Proactiva Open Arms Illegal ticket touts raise ire of businesses, passers-by