The Nationalist Party is calling on the government to immediately publish the carrying capacity study for Comino, "which, according to the Government itself, has been completed for some time but is still being kept hidden from the public."

 The fact that the government is basing decisions on a study which it is then refusing to publish is alarming and reveals a lack of transparency. If the study exists and is complete, then there is no reason for it not to be published immediately."

 Comino is a protected island, environmentally sensitive, "and any decision regarding access and its use must be based on scientific evidence, not on political calculations or commercial pressure. The public can only be assured of this if the report is published," the PN said in a statement signed by Alex Borg, the party's Shadow Minister for Gozo, Mario De Marco, the party's Shadow Minister for Tourism, and  Rebekah Borg, the party's Shadow Minister for the Enviroment.

"The people of Gozo and Malta have a right to know the scientific basis on which the Government is planning measures such as visitor controls at the Blue Lagoon. Creating a booking system or setting artificial limits without revealing whether these are sustainable is a clear example of how the Government is withholding fundamental information that should be public."

 "Only through transparency can we ensure that this unique natural heritage is truly protected."

 The Government must be transparent with the people and clearly state what it based its decisions on, the PN statement read.

The PN said it will continue to apply pressure to ensure Comino is protected in the best way possible.