Publish contract between Heritage Malta and Vilhena Palace courtyard restaurateur, Julie Zahra tells government

Heritage Malta had said the arrangement was a four-week trial to determine whether the agency should issue a tender

PN MP Julie Zahra
PN MP Julie Zahra

Julie Zahra is insisting the government publish the contract between Heritage Malta and a private restaurant operator for the use of the Vilhena Palace courtyard.

The Nationalist Party heritage spokesperson has accused Culture Minister Owen Bonnici of reneging his responsibility in not addressing concerns over the dubious arrangement.

Zahra on Thursday kept up the pressure on what Heritage Malta has described as a four-week trial in which a private restaurant operator was granted a concession to use the courtyard at the Natural History Museum in Mdina to offer a fine dining experience.

The PN’s concerns over the mysterious contract had been answered by Heritage Malta but Zahra is insisting it is the minister’s political responsibility to reply, accusing him of “hiding behind” the agency.

Zahra asked for the contract to be published in its entirety, for the minister to say how Vilhena Palace was chosen for the concession and outline the criteria used to select the operator. No public call had been issued.

Heritage Malta has said that the operator had a contractual agreement with the agency over a restaurant at the MUŻA museum in Valletta and the Mdina exercise was just a trial to determine whether the agency should issue a tender.

Bonnici has not responded to the concerns raised.