A major European car drifting competition had to be moved to Ħal Far yesterday after the planning authority objected to the event being held at Montekristo Estate.

The three-day event was due to start at 3pm but the doors remained shut after a police permit was refused when the Malta Environment and Planning Authority objected on grounds that the site was under an enforcement order.

Montekristo Estate belongs to construction magnate Charles Polidano, known as iċ-Ċaqnu, and the vast area is riddled with illegal works.

Mepa’s steadfast refusal to budge from its position despite protracted talks with the organisers yesterday left event participants from around Europe flabbergasted.

Ironically, the competition, to be screened to 65 million television viewers around the world, was sponsored by two government agencies: the Malta Sports Council and the Malta Tourism Authority.

Adrian Figallo from FM Promotions, an event promoter, said the police refused the permit on Tuesday and the appeal was rejected in the early hours of Friday.

“This is discrimination against motorsport enthusiasts because this same area we are using had been used without problems for the holding of Il-Fiera l-Kbira [a trade fair held in July],” Mr Figallo said during a press conference held at Montekristo in the morning.

He insisted motorsports enthusiasts were being used like “guinea pigs” because Mepa wanted to get at Mr Polidano.

The planning authority wanted Mr Polidano to pay outstanding fines and police surveillance costs in exchange for dropping its objection to the event, according to the organisers.

Mr Figallo said the police file showed that Mepa had originally had no objection as long as the place had a valid licence. But the authority subsequently objected, saying that the place had an enforcement order.

The King of Europe Malta Drifting Competition was a massive event that included the participation of 13 foreign teams, including two European champions and more than 30 participants from Malta, Mr Figallo added.

‘Had Mepa not objected, it would be criticised’

He lamented the damage done to the island’s credibility by this decision.

Justifying the permit refusal, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said Mepa had to register its objection when it was asked for advice by the police.

He said the police had not asked the planning authority’s advice when the trade fair was held at Montekristo.

“Had Mepa not objected, especially after media reports, including by Times of Malta, that highlighted further abuse at the site during the summer, it would have been criticised for not taking action,” Dr Muscat said when asked about the incident after visiting students at the Malta College for Arts Science and Technology.

He said Mepa wanted the closure of an illegal zoo and the removal of other illegal structures on the site.

When asked whether the government’s left hand knew what the right hand was doing, given that the competition was supported by the authorities, Dr Muscat said Mepa was an independent agency.

Sports parliamentary secretary Chris Agius had been present for the event launch in August when it was already known that it was to be held at Montekristo.

Disappointment could be felt among Maltese motorsport enthusiasts taking part in the event.

Some of those who spoke to this newspaper said they could not understand the government’s actions.

“How can Joseph Muscat come to us for our vote now?” one of them asked, irritated at the way they were treated.

Their frustration was reflected in comments by Tonio Cini, president of the Motorsports Federation, who said the permit refusal came as a surprise because the government was elected on a pledge to help motorsport enthusiasts in their quest to have a track.

George Muscat, the president of the Malta Drifting Association, said the government had “deceived” them.

“We were promised a race track and it is through events like this that we would be able to attract users of the track but decisions like this will put investors off,” Mr Muscat said.

The decision to shift the event was taken at around 6pm after Mepa ruled out any compromise on its stand.

Mr Figallo said the Malta Drag Racing Association had offered the use of its race track in Ħal Far as an alternative venue so that the event would not need to be cancelled altogether.

Participants shifted to the new site in an overnight operation with organisers saying that everything should go on as planned today and tomorrow.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com

The Montekristo saga

The refusal to issue a permit for the drift car event is the latest in a series of clashes the planning authority has had with Charles Polidano over Montekristo Estate.

The area is rife with illegal works that have been mushrooming over the years, prompting Mepa to once describe it as “Malta’s largest illegally developed site”.

Last month The Sunday Times of Malta reported that the site had been placed on round-the-clock police watch after Mr Polidano was found to have carried on with illegalities in breach of an agreement with Mepa.

Mr Polidano is expected to pick up the police bill.

In November last year, Mepa swooped on the site in a spectacular action that involved the army after Mr Polidano reneged on a promise to stop illegal works pending discussions with the authority on possible sanctioning of some buildings.

Mr Polidano then apologised to the Prime Minister and promised no illegal work would continue. Since then, however, works resumed in August and again last month.