Comments made in this newspaper on a Sliema kiosk parked in the same spot for months in breach of the law have prompted the police to issue a statement saying that charges had been filed.

The statement was only released following remarks published on the same day in the weekly column ‘On the Dot’ on Monday.

In the column, Times of Malta raised the issue in the absence of a reply to questions it had sent police on December 19 about the seeming inaction over the kiosk.

Last August the newspaper had carried a story about a number of street hawkers leaving their mobile kiosks parked in the same spot overnight, in breach of their trading licence.

Sliema mayor Anthony Chircop had then vented his frustration that authorities seemed “toothless” in the face of repeated complaints that some hawkers were illegally occupying the few precious parking spaces available.

He said that a galleon-shaped kiosk which had been left parked in the same spot at The Strand for a number of weeks was a testament to this.

However, the police subsequently denied the claim, noting that one particular hawker faced charges for placing fridges and other items on the promenade.

Four months later, the kiosk was still in the same spot, prompting this newspaper to send fresh questions to the police, this time accompanied by photos.

In the absence of any reply, Times of Malta once again flagged the issue and questioned whether the complaint had fallen on deaf ears.

However, this time around the message was heeded, and the police issued their long-overdue reply.