Broken promise as Comino illegal concessions to stay put for another summer

Illegal kiosks and beach concessions dominating Comino’s Blue Lagoon are set to remain in place for yet another summer, despite repeated promises by successive Tourism Ministers that the rampant commercial abuse of the protected site would finally be addressed.

The latest justification offered by the authorities is that the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) is still awaiting a Planning Authority (PA) permit for a proposed “revamp” of the area.

Officials told The Shift that no competitive tenders for kiosks or beach concessions will be issued this year either, meaning that the same operators—many of whom have been operating illegally for years—will once again cash in.

“The intention remains to reduce kiosks radically and to issue beach concessions through a competitive tendering process,” an MTA spokesperson said. “However, this will have to wait until we have the permit.”

The MTA’s application (PA00738/26), filed last year, has yet to be finalised and remains at an early stage. There is still no timeline for its approval.

When asked by The Shift whether tenders would finally be issued ahead of the 2026 summer season, as promised by Tourism Minister Ian Borg last year, the MTA spokesperson confirmed that the existing arrangements will remain unchanged.

This admission confirms that yet another deadline has been quietly missed.

Last year, the MTA had claimed it was too late to issue tenders for the 2025 summer, promising instead a comprehensive revamp in 2026. This has now been postponed once again.

All kiosks operating at the Blue Lagoon have been illegal since at least 2015, lacking any valid Planning Authority permits. Despite this, they have continued operating uninterrupted.

Beach concessions, which occupy extensive areas of public land, have also been operating without proper tenders, with licences rolled over annually.

Among the operators repeatedly identified in The Shift’s investigations are Daniel Refalo and Mark Cutajar.

Refalo, a Gozitan businessman and part of the Joseph Portelli business clan, has been linked to multiple commercial activities on Comino through companies and family interests.

Mark Cutajar is the brother of former Labour MEP Josianne Cutajar and a canvasser for Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri.

“Everyone knows who is behind these concessions. They are politically connected, and no minister wants to trigger backlash, especially with an election on the horizon,” a tourism industry insider said.

The profits involved in these illegal operations are substantial. According to estimates, kiosk and beach concession operators make hundreds of thousands of euros every summer from food sales, deckchair rentals and umbrella hire, using public land within a Natura 2000 site.

Environmental NGOs have repeatedly accused the authorities of turning Comino into a playground for a select few, while enforcement agencies look the other way.

The Shift has previously documented how responsibility is passed between the Planning Authority, the Lands Authority and the MTA, resulting in years of inaction.

Despite repeated announcements of “holistic plans”, carrying capacity studies and reform strategies, changes on the ground have been limited. Last year, the MTA began implementing a system to reduce visitor numbers, which achieved positive results but still requires tightening.

Similar illegalities to those at the Blue Lagoon are spread along Malta’s coastal areas and have been attributed to successive administrations.

Just before the 2013 general election, then Tourism Minister Mario de Marco issued a 15-year concession to kiosks occupying Għadira Bay through a direct order and at exceptionally low annual fees.