PN steps up pressure on Owen Bonnici to publish Vilhena Palace courtyard restaurant contract

The Nationalist Party has reiterated calls for Culture Minister Owen Bonnici to publish the contract between Heritage Malta and a private restaurant operator for the use of the Vilhena Palace courtyard.

“Owen Bonnici needs to be clear whether this will be the strategy he will be imposing on Heritage Malta, under the growing pressure to generate funds,” PN spokesperson for culture Julie Zahra said.

The PN has kept up the pressure on what the heritage agency 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 trial period ended last week.

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 had already called for the contract to be published last week, but the ministry has remained mum.

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

She said the agency had given two conflicting versions. “One, that this agreement is another one of those which, according to the agency, are 'made regularly', and the other that this mystery agreement was made in order to determine whether Heritage Malta should issue a public call or run this initiative itself.”

The courtyard in Palazzo Vilhena, which houses the Natural History Museum, was used by a restaurant operator for fine dining purposes. The Palazzo is public property managed by Heritage Malta.

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.