Caravans parked along the Mistra shoreline are not illegal, the police have confirmed to this newspaper.

The Planning Authority recently attempted to clamp down on the caravans, upsetting to those visiting the bay, asking the owners to remove them.

The police say, however, that as the campers have a road licence and insurance and the area is not designated in the bye-law, no law is being broken.

During a recent site visit by the Times of Malta, about 10 caravans were parked at the shore, with beachgoers complaining that the owners were leaving little free space for others visiting the bay.

READ: Caravans at Mistra Bay as authorities pass the buck

Some of the caravans also had canopies extending to the beach to provide shade.

None of the owners was in sight, but barbecues, chairs, tables and other beach furniture were neatly arranged beside the locked vehicles.

A restaurant owner also complained to this newspaper, claiming that those making the place their home for the summer were making his life miserable. He insisted that the authorities were reluctant to take any action.

The restaurateur, Claude Camilleri, said he had written to several ministers on the matter in a final act of desperation, as the caravan owners were making it difficult for him to run his business.

Yet it seems little can be done to resolve the issue, as the existing laws make it legal for caravans with the necessary road licence and insurance to camp at the picturesque bay.

“An amendment to the bye-law was proposed. Other meetings regarding this subject are to be conducted in the near future,” the police said in reply to questions from this newspaper.

In recent weeks, the use of public space at beaches all over the island has made headlines after the Malta Tourism Authority confiscated truckloads of beach furniture from Armier, Little Armier and Qawra Point, fining operators caught breaching conditions.

 

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.