The authorities have so far refused to issue a permit for the procession on the feast of St Paul's Shipwreck on February 10, the organisers have said.

In a Facebook update, the parish chapter and the Għaqda tal-Pawlini said that sit-down events planned for February 8 and 9 have been given the go-ahead.

"However our request for the procession to be held on February 10 has not been accepted at this stage," they said.

The organisers said they are seeking a meeting with the authorities for a solution to be found that also safeguards public health.  

Late last month, the Valletta parish had said it was seeking a permit only for a reduced procession with the statue of St Paul, and not for band marches. 

The Band Clubs association said last week that traditional village feasts could once again start being celebrated from April as long as this is done "responsibly". 

The announcement, via Facebook, came after a meeting with Prime Minister Robert Abela, Health Minister Chris Fearne and public health chief Charmaine Gauci. 

In a reaction to the refusal of the permit for the Valletta procession, Nationalist MP Claudio Grech said on Wednesday that it was clear that somebody did not want the feast to be held, and COVID-19 was being used as the comfortable pretext.

Last Saturday, the Mediterranean Conference Centre, a closed place, was bursting at the seams with people (for the film awards) with total lack of observance of mask-wearing rules, he said. But for the health authorities, a reduced procession in the open in the streets of Valletta was riskier, and the organisers' request was therefore denied.

Anyone who thought that the people of Valletta were idiots was mistaken, he said.