MHRA calls for tougher fines after Swieqi disorder, welcomes swift action

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) has welcomed the authorities' swift response to a weekend incident involving anti-social behaviour by a group of foreign visitors in Swieqi, while calling for substantially higher on-the-spot fines to deter similar incidents.

In a statement on Tuesday, the association praised both the police and the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) for what it described as a "swift and coordinated" response.

The comments come a day after police said 12 foreign youths were fined a combined €2,000 after being caught causing a disturbance at a block of apartments in Swieqi. The MTA subsequently ordered the closure of the entire apartment block after inspectors found that eight of its nine apartments were operating in breach of licence conditions.

The MHRA said the police acted immediately by identifying those responsible and issuing on-the-spot fines, while the MTA took equally decisive action against the licensed short-let operator by ordering the premises to close until they comply with all regulatory requirements.

"The action sends a clear message that Malta will not tolerate anti-social behaviour or breaches of tourism regulations," the association said.

It also praised the collaboration between Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield and Tourism Minister Jo Etienne Abela, saying the case demonstrated the importance of cooperation between ministries to protect residents, visitors and Malta's tourism reputation.

However, the association argued that the case exposed shortcomings in the current penalties.

"Current fines are too low to act as an effective deterrent against behaviour that disrupts communities and damages Malta's international reputation," it said, calling for a substantial increase in on-the-spot penalties.

The MHRA stressed that while the vast majority of visitors respect Malta and contribute positively to the tourism industry, those who break the law should face penalties that reflect the seriousness of their actions.

It said it looked forward to continuing to work with the government, police and MTA to ensure Malta remained "a safe, respectful and high-quality destination".

Police said the group was fined for breaches of public order and public peace, as well as illegal waste disposal, after officers responded to reports of excessive noise at the apartment block. The tourists were relocated after the MTA ordered the premises to cease operations.