Street vendors are turning Malta's prime sites into flea markets, the GRTU and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association said in a joint statement yesterday.

"We are concerned that anyone who wishes to start selling anything to just set up a stall at a place of their choosing and start trading. This is turning even Malta’s Main Street, Republic Street, into a flea market," the associations said.

They were echoing concerns by Valletta businesses, reported in Times of Malta yesterday.

"It seems that street vendors can set up their stalls in the best areas, without any sanitary, health, safety or other standards, in some cases only a few meters away from established outlets who have to face a myriad of very costly regulations and other fees," the associations said.

"This disruptive and illegal practice is not being addressed either by central government or local councils. Indeed Local Councils issuing any permits that go beyond those of the village feast are doing so abusively."

The associations observed that the Sliema mayor has also expressed concern, aying that the Sliema Local Council does not issue such permits because legally they cannot and they are inundated by complaints by the commercial community.

The country’s enforcement system continues to fail us.

"Our enterprises invest millions of euros to make Malta an attractive destination, a destination of high calibre. Their investment is being devalued by the vendors that occupy our roads and litter our prime sites abusively for their gain without the least consideration for the damage done to the country and other law abiding business people.

"The country’s enforcement system continues to fail us and burden the legitimate businesses with inspections and heavy regulations whilst turning a blind eye to the street traders trading unlawfully and turning our island into one gigantic flea market."

The government was urged to remove these street traders from prime sites and ensure they were adhering to regulations.