Members of the Muslim community will not be meeting for Friday prayers in Msida today after the government stepped in to offer the community the use of an open space at the Ospizio in Floriana as a temporary measure.
The government announced the agreement yesterday after community representatives met with Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo and Culture Minister Owen Bonnici to discuss a way forward.
“Both sides agreed that the space offers the privacy that all religious activities deserve,” the government said in a statement. “At the same time, we are looking for a long-term solution making use of existing facilities.”
Some 200 Muslims have met in a square close to the Msida parish church every Friday for the last three weeks, having been evicted from several meeting places around the island due to a lack of permits.
The group said the public prayers were intended to draw attention to the need for a centrally-located meeting place and urged the authorities to support them in obtaining permits for their own premises.
Both sides agreed that the space offers the privacy that all religious activities deserve
A permit to change the use of a large garage in Sta Venera to be used for prayers was recently denied, against the recommendation of the Mepa case officer, and the group were also evicted from a building in Msida last month.
The Msida prayers, however, also prompted a protest last Sunday by members of the Għaqda Patrijotti Maltin, who accused the Muslim congregation of provocation and claimed they should not be allowed to pray in public.
When contacted, Malta Muslim Council Federation president Bader Zina praised the government’s “positive initiative” in meeting the community and allowing them to explain the details of their situation.
“The government agreed that something has to be done,” Mr Zina said. “Now we are going to be working to explain things better to the public and make sure they understand our situation.
“In the meantime, I think moving to the Ospizio shows good will on all parts.”
The space that has been earmarked at the Ospizio is currently being used as a car park close to a cluster of buildings owned by the Education Ministry.
The dilapidated Knights-era complex has served variously as a hospital, asylum and orphanage throughout its long history and is currently undergoing restoration to transform it into an international contemporary art space.