Plans to relocate the Valletta flea market from the bottom part of Merchants Street are set to forge ahead, despite fierce opposition from the business community, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.
Replying to questions, an Economy Ministry spokesman said the government had not shelved its plans to relocate the monti and that discussions with stakeholders were still under way.
“Plans have not been shelved. Various options are being considered. However, it is premature to comment. When a decision is made it will be shared and the interested parties will be aware of it,” the spokesman said.
Monti hawkers insist the government should stick to the commitment made before the last election to relocate the market.
“I clearly remember meetings before the last election where we were told we would be moved to an area closer to the centre and closer to City Gate, from where the bulk of people enter Valletta.
Our businesses are dying and we desperately need to move somewhere more central
“Our businesses are dying and we desperately need to move somewhere more central,” one hawker who wished to remain anonymous told The Sunday Times of Malta.
Another said: “The business community keep saying they invested a lot of money in their shop. But we’ve invested too. We have families, you know.”
While on one hand the hawkers are counting on the move, the Merchants Street business community is expecting the government to stick to what it promised the 72 businesses – that the monti will not move.
Just before Christmas, the association of Merchants Street businesses took Economy Minister Chris Cardona to court, having heard that the monti was due to be relocated to the area between Melita and Old Theatre Streets.
But Mr Justice Joseph Zammit McKeon turned down their request for an injunction, because no decision on the relocation had been taken.
Following the decision, the ministry said the government was adamant on “strengthening the monti tradition”.
In turn, the business community pledged to continue its fight to stop the relocation, saying it was prepared to use all the legal instruments at its disposal to stop it if and when the decision was taken.
Before the last general election, Labour committed itself to relocating the Valletta open market to Ordnance Street, which would have included the area between the new Parliament and the Royal Opera House ruins.
The move was due to proceed, and metal markings were placed on the paving defining the space allotted to each of the 74 licensed hawkers. However, it was halted following a public outcry that the monti would mar the area around the Parliament building designed by architect Renzo Piano.