Schools, businesses ordered to shut down during OSCE meeting this week

Complaints are being expressed regarding the logistics for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) meeting to be held in Malta on 5-6 December, with businesses and schools being forced to close.

San Anton is among the schools that have informed parents they will be forced to close on both days “due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control”.

The OSCE meeting, hosting 57 participating states, is prestigious for Malta, but it is unprecedented that the government has ordered schools and businesses to shut down to host an international meeting.

Effectively, the government has ordered the country to stand by so it can manage traffic in a country where this fails on a daily basis.

Parents will have to cope and find solutions for their children who would usually be in school. And with increased demand, parents have said they may need to take time off work because they cannot find carers.

The decision also impacts businesses. Independent candidate Arnold Cassola posted a letter on social media by the operator of a gym in Ta’ Qali, who said the forced closure would cost thousands of euro, “a sum that we are struggling to absorb”.

When the owner contacted the ministry, he was told to refer clients to other gyms. “An unrealistic and dismissive response that clearly shows a lack of understanding of how our business operates,” the gym owner said.

He added: “This situation, particularly given the broader context of recent scandals involving ministers, reinforces the feeling that small businesses in Malta are being overlooked or disregarded unless there is a direct benefit for those in power.”

He said other businesses in Ta’ Qali have received the same instructions, which will result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of euro.

Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg is hosting the OSCE meeting, which will be held at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre (MFCC) in Ta’ Qali.

The OSCE Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE, convened once a year in the country holding the chairmanship.