Objectors to Balluta ferry service vouch to pursue further legal avenues

Objectors to a new hop-on-hop-off ferry service at Balluta Bay have promised to pursue all legal avenues to stop the project which would ruin a top bathing zone in the area. 

Moviment Graffiti, which is leading the objections in conjunction with the St Julian’s council, said in a statement it will “pursue further legal action to stop you hogging our seas".

The statement was issued in reply to a statement issued by the Fortina Group on Monday in which it said that its ferry service will start operating this summer, insisting that all it was creating at Balluta Bay was a “temporary and reversible bus stop at sea”. 

The group said the ferry will operate between Sliema Ferries, Balluta Bay, Buġibba and Comino. It will initially pick up passengers from Balluta up to eight times a day, with new vessels replacing the company’s traditional Captain Morgan tour business.

The 87 objectors including four environment NGOs and the St Julian’s council are all opposed to the ferry plans and have appealed the decision to allow the ferry operators to build a private jetty at the popular St Julian’s Bay. 

The project, which will effectively privatise a section of the public bay, was approved by...