Karl Stagno-Navarra
A music festival held last week in Victoria on Gozo was not covered by a police permit, this newspaper has learnt.
The Gozo Music Festival, endorsed by both the Ministry of Gozo and the Malta Tourism Authority, was allowed to carry on until 4am with a simple “authorisation” from the Victoria local council.
A senior police officer told MaltaToday that the organisers “bypassed” the police, who are the executive authority, and got away with a simple authorisation issued by the council.
The controversial authorisation contrasts starkly with the refusal by the police to allow the Creamfields festival, held on the 15 August, to continue operating beyond 2am within Gianpula Fields.
On the eve of the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, the police turned down a lawful request put forward by Gianpula Fields to hold Creamfields Music Festival until 4am. The police ordered the party to shut down at 2am.
Gianpula Fields directors filed for an urgent court hearing, however this request was also turned down, and the party had to stop at 2am.
This newspaper can confirm that the Gozo party was reportedly given the go-ahead and endorsed by the Ministry for Gozo and the MTA. The Ministry of Gozo denied having had anything to do with the Gozo Music Festival that was held in closed proximity to an inhabited area, and continued until 4am. Last week the police had issued a press release claiming that no clearance had been given to the holding of the Gozo Music Festival. Inspite of this denial the party carried on till 4am.
Senior sources revealed that the police were under extreme political and commercial pressure to have the party authorised to continue until 4am, and were left impotent as they watched the organisers go ahead and set up their activity.
There were also doubts on whether bank guarantees had been deposited, committing the organisers to a set of rules that regulate the permit.
The granting of a simple authorisation by a local council for an open air festival has set a clear precedent governing open air parties and contrasts widely with the strict conditions imposed by the police in the case of the CreamFields party.
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