Swieqi mayor writes to prime minister on ‘unbearable’ short-let crisis

Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat has sent an urgent plea to the prime minister, warning that the locality is in the grip of a crisis caused by the rapid growth of short-let apartments, resulting in mounting garbage problems, constant disturbances, and vandalism.

In a letter sent to the prime minister, the deputy prime minister, and other senior officials, Muscat said the residential character of Swieqi is being “practically raped and stripped” due to unchecked commercialisation.

Muscat traced the roots of the problem back to 2016, when the local council first raised concerns during a pilot organic waste separation project. Since then, he said, successive tourism ministers had failed to act, allowing the situation to escalate from a problem to a crisis.

He said Swieqi was never intended to have significant commercial activity, noting that most of the area is zoned as ‘Residential Priority Areas’ where hotels and guesthouses are not permitted.

However, he said, many houses are being demolished and replaced with apartment blocks intended for short-term tourist rentals, with an estimated 1,000 additional beds expected by next summer.

The mayor identified tourists in short-let apartments and the cleaning operations servicing them as the main source of garbage left out on the wrong days, late-night noise, and antisocial behaviour.

He argued that the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) is “not qualified to understand local and social issues” and called for urgent legislative changes to reclassify short-lets as a commercial activity.

Among the proposals Muscat outlined were an immediate moratorium on short-let permits pending a carrying capacity study for Swieqi, as well as mew licensing conditions to control waste management and noise, with licences withdrawn for breaches.

Muscat also proposed police night patrols to curb disturbances and vandalism and limits on 24-hour shop operations in residential areas, particularly those selling alcohol.

“The situation in Swieqi has reached unbearable and intolerable levels, and many residents who chose to live in Swieqi are now having second thoughts and moving out – is that what we want?” he asked.