The national street feast decorations organisation has declared it does not recognise the agreement reached between the Church and the Band Clubs’ Association last December.

Għanaft insisted the agreement did not address concerns raised by its members or those of the Malta Pyrotechnics Association, despite a previous commitment that it would do so.

Accord grants Church authorities responsibility for external celebrations

“Għanaft, therefore, does not recognise the agreement reached and is not obliged to adhere to it,” it said.

Among other things, the agreement banned indecent clothing, bare-chested revellers and rude or disparaging words during feasts. It stipulated marches could not parade in front of rival band clubs’ premises.

The Għanaft statement is the latest episode in a long-running dispute concerning the organisation of village feasts. Discussions on the matter date back to 2009, with the agreement reached last December appearing to have settled matters once and for all.

But Għanaft has taken umbrage at the agreement, particularly highlighting the way in which it grants Church authorities complete responsibility for external festivities.

It called on the ecclesiastical authorities to reply to a December 15 letter in which Għanaft had welcomed coordination meetings between stakeholders, argued against ecclesiastical control of outdoor festivities and highlighted a number of outstanding issues on which agreement had yet to be reached.