(Adds Mepa's statement)

Bethlehem f'Ghajnsielem, the popular Nativity Village in Ghajnsielem, Gozo, will not be presented this year because of logistical problems.

The foundation responsible for the production explained that the village entailed substantial work in the assembly of a number of structures every year in the fields at Ghajnsielem. The structures were assembled in the months leading to December and dismantled in January.

Ghajnsielem Council has applied to Mepa to have the fields converted into a recreation park which can be used for Bethlehem f'Ghajnsielem in December. The structures will thus be retained from year to year. A permit is still being awaited.

The foundation looked forward to presenting Bethlehem f'Ghajnsielem in the future.

In a statement this evening Mepa said that, in September last year it had informed the Għajnsielem council that for the proposal to be considered further, fresh plans and additional information, including environmental studies, needed to be re-submitted to the authority.

These had to include all the permanent structures proposed in the rural recreational park application shifted to the area which falls with the development boundaries.

The proposed site for the rural recreational park is predominately situated outside development boundaries with a portion having been designated as an Area of Ecological Interest in the Gozo and Comino Local Plan, Mepa said.

It said that the latest information required by the authority to complete the assessment of the application was submitted by the applicant in September this year, while the final project description statement for the EIA screening to be concluded was submitted on October 23.