Chemimart Ltd yesterday filed an official letter in court complaining that an application to open a pharmacy in Republic Street was unjustly turned down more than 17 years after the application had been formally submitted.

Reginald Fava, in his personal capacity and on behalf of Chemimart Ltd, filed the official letter against the Medicines Authority, the Principal Government Doctor, the Director General of Public Health and the Health Minister.

Mr Fava explained that he had filed an application to open a pharmacy in Republic Street in Valletta on 25 April 1990 and this application was, according to him, unjustly turned down on 11 December 2006 and again in March 2007. He explained that the application was rejected because of quota consideration of the Dispensary Licensing Regulations, which in 2003 was substituted with the Pharmacy Licence Regulations.

During this time, he said, six pharmacies in Valletta had wrapped up their business and the Medicines Authority therefore acted illegally when it turned down his application for a licence to open a pharmacy.

Mr Fava called on the authorities to issue the said licence and insisted that he had the right to obtain this licence to open a pharmacy and exercise his profession as a pharmacist. He said he was being discriminated against and added that the refusal was in breach of the European Social Charter.

He warned that he will pursue every possible legal avenue in order to obtain this licence. Dr Edward DeBono signed the writ.