The venue at Montekristo Estates hosting today’s charity dinner in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund is covered by the necessary permits, according to President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

This was reiterated by the planning authority which issued a statement after this newspaper yesterday reported that the venue of the dinner – organised by the Malta Developers Association – was notorious for its illegal development.

“Although the Montekristo Estates has various enforcement issues, the authority can confirm that the location where the charity dinner is going to be held is covered by planning permission,” Mepa said.

When a spokeswoman for the President was asked on Tuesday whether Ms Coleiro Preca was attending the event, she said the venue had been chosen at the discretion of the developers’ association.

MDA president Sandro Chetcuti went on to point out that the place was covered by the necessary permits to act as a catering establishment.

Confronted at a press conference yesterday, Ms Coleiro Preca said: “I don’t think that the President of the Republic should get involved in these types of issues. In reality, where we are going is covered with a regular licence. If there was an illegality, we would have known about it.”