Justice Minister Owen Bonnici today announced that the government will propose amendments to laws on fireworks factories after a recent court judgment cast a dark shadow on the Maltese pyrotechnics tradition.

A recent court judgment to revoke the permits of a fireworks factory in the limits of Mosta has rattled pyrotechnic enthusiasts and reignited a long standing debate on fireworks safety in Malta. The Malta Independent wrote an editorial about the judgement today.

In a case going back 30 years, an Appeals Court upheld a judgment that had found that the Zebbiegh fireworks complex, which manufactures fireworks for the Feast of St Mary in Mosta, lacked the required 183-metre buffer zone from the closest roads. The case had originally been filed by a number of farmers whose fields are in the vicinity of the factory.

While the plaintiffs argued that the road was not a busy one, the courts found that the factory was still in breach of explosives laws.

Fireworks enthusiasts have now gone in panic mode because several other fireworks factories are close to roads that are used by farmers, and they fear that theirs could be closed down as well. If this were to happen, they say, one of the most popular Maltese traditions could die out.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Bonnici, said amendments would be proposed in the coming days "to address the room for interpretation on the basis of which this court sentence was handed down."

The minister said that while government would always respect the courts' decision, the sentence handed down was "an issue of interpretation".

 "The court interpreted the meaning of a road one way, while there could be other interpretations," he said. "We always respect the court decisions, but in this case, I think there is room for legislative intervention to solve the issue."

Minister Bonnici denied that the amendments would be proposed after pressure from the pyrotechnics lobby.

He said the amendments would make the definition of road more clear, adding that all fireworks factory licences are issued following due process by the Planning Authority and the Home Affairs Ministry, which is the ministry responsible for the sector.

His comments came at the end of a press conference during which he announced that a fund totaling €170,000 has been set up to distribute grants to fireworks factories carrying out projects aimed at increasing safety.

Each factory is eligible for up to €5,000.