The government, through its agency SportMalta, is subsidising a public car park in Santa Lucija, which has been illegally turned into a permanent storage facility for rental cars by Christian Borg, a notorious businessman currently facing multiple criminal charges, including money laundering and kidnapping.

Originally transferred to Santa Lucija Football Club as part of its football ground facilities to be exclusively used for sports activities, the car park, which was also used by neighbouring residents until the beginning of summer, was taken over by hundreds of rental cars owned by Princess Holdings Ltd.

Christian Borg was arraigned in January 2022 for a range of offences, including kidnapping. He continued to benefit from government deals despite the charges against him.

Santa Lucija car park occupied illegally. Photo: Newsbook

This takeover, which, according to a contract seen by The Shift, is in breach of the original deed signed with the government, infuriated residents and the local council, who called for the government’s intervention to clear the illegal occupation.

However, the situation has remained stuck despite SportMalta’s confirmation that both the club and Christian Borg are acting illegally. So far, the government has permitted the continuation of the use of the area and has not even started legal procedures in court.

The Shift has now discovered that the car park is heavily subsidised by the government through thousands of public funds. The beneficiaries of these funds are the Santa Lucija Club and Christian Borg through a secret arrangement made between them.

According to a deed signed in November 2015, the government transferred the property to be used “exclusively for sport” to the Santa Lucija club through a temporary emphyteusis of 49 years.

The transfer was made against the payment of an annual rent of €16,000. However, the club is only paying €800 a year, as the rest is being forked out by the government as subsidies to help sports.

Part of the deed clearly shows that Santa Lucija Football Club is in breach of the contract.

The contract makes it clear that if the club breaches the conditions of the deed or sub-rents parts of its premises, with the exclusion of a bar, it would be in breach of the contract, and the government has the right to repossess the premises.

So far, the Santa Lucija Football Club has yet to reveal how much it is making from the illegal commercial arrangement it entered into with Christian Borg to take over the club’s car park.

However, according to its spokesman, the club is doing nothing wrong because it is trying to commercialise government property to raise funds. This is not permitted in the deed.

The local council of Santa Lucija, led by Labour Mayor Charmaine St John, has denounced the illegal occupation following pressure by residents.

So far, the car park remains in Christian Borg’s possession.