The committee that organises the Gozo carnival will “once again” call a public meeting for all those interested before planning the 2015 celebrations, a Gozo ministry spokeswoman said.

This would be done according to the same principles as those adhered to in preparation for this year’s carnival in Gozo, she added.

The news comes in reaction to a Times of Malta report that a group of 100 Gozitan carnival enthusiasts from the Gozo Carnival Enthusiasts Association (also known as the Bugeja Carnival Company) were disappointed they could not take part in this year’s celebrations because they were not allotted enough time to perform.

The group needed at least half an hour of performance time

The association was told that this year all performances could not exceed 12 minutes. However, the group needed at least half an hour of performance time in order for all its dancers to participate.

The Gozitan carnival enthusiasts said they were worried that this reform would push Gozitans out of the picture: “It would be a mortal sin if the Gozo carnival ended up depending on Maltese and foreign companies.”

In reaction to this, the ministry yesterday stressed that this year’s carnival did not depend on Maltese and foreign companies.

“On the contrary, besides the usual participation of Gozitan companies and floats, a mutual cooperation was re-established with the Malta Carnival Committee, resulting in Maltese companies participating in Gozo’s carnival and Gozitan companies in that of Malta,” the ministry said.