Minister pledges action as Valletta residents complain of ‘nightmarish’ road closures

Home affairs minister Carmelo Abela has pledged to reduce the inconvenience of Valletta residents, who have complained of several road closures in the capital as a result of Malta’s EU presidency.

Responding to questions in Parliament by Opposition MPs David Agius and Claudio Grech, Abela said that he has requested the police for details and will try to take action to reduce inconveniences to residents and businesses as much as possible.

“Certain security measures are imposed at every high-level meeting, even during previous EU presidencies,” he said. “Some may ask us whether we’re only imposing these security measures to protect the foreigners, but the truth is that they are also being taken to protect Maltese people. We have taken additional security measures because meetings at this level draw the eye of the international community.”

Long stretches of roads, including parts of the ring road and roads leading up to the Grandmaster’s Palace and the Mediterranean Conference Centre, are being closed for long hours at a stretch to make way for ministers and dignitaries driving through.

The Valletta local council on Monday warned that Valletta residents are suffering the brunt of the aggressive clearance of vehicles from the streets.

"While we do understand there might be security concerns, we’ve all been to other European cities, in particular Brussels, where the European leaders work every day but we've never seen such an aggressive clearance policy," the council said.

The council warned that vehicles have been ordered out of certain streets from 5am until 11pm, even though meetings start hours later.

"So what shall we expect from the residents? To leave their home before 5am and after a day's work, stay in the car till 11pm to park? Get them to park outside of Valletta as some are doing? We think the situation is utterly ridiculous.

“Having a clearance just in case a VIP passes is not on and simply helps to anger the residents who have a sacred right to access their premises."