The Montekristo fair is to be held as planned after the appeals tribunal which deals with licences issued by the Police decided that “in the circumstances a permit should be issued to the organisers”. This decision comes after the police last week said it would be withholding the permit.

A letter was sent by lawyer Jean-Paul Sammut on behalf of the fair’s organisers to the appeals tribunal contesting the fact that the police withheld the permit. But after the board, members of the police force, the appellant, Mepa officials and representatives of the Commercial Licences Department met up to discuss the issue, it was decided that the permit would in fact be issued.

The police originally withheld the permit after Mepa objected, arguing that the trade fair can take place only on the land where there are no planning illegalities. However, the organisers were defiant in their stand and said that the fair would be held since all illegalities from the site were removed. The organisers also pointed their fingers at other trade fairs which are held annually, claiming that the MFCC trade fair in particular has a pending enforcement notice dating back to 2002.

In a statement, Dr Sammut said that as CEO of MonteKristo “It is with great pleasure to announce that Il-Fiera Il-Kbira will proceed as planned between 9 and 19 July.”