After public outrage, government issues call for monti stalls designs

Accepting the public's criticism of the design of the new monti stalls, the Ministry for the Economy is issuing an expression of interest for the design of the stalls "to complement the surrounding areas"

In a statement, the government said it had taken note of the public's comments on the design of the new monti stalls - a design which attracted the criticism of many.

The ministry said the new designs must be aesthetically adequate but also practical.

"The relocation of the flea market to Ordinance Street will take place as planned. It will be beneficial for both sellers and consumers," the ministry said.

Placed next to the new parliamentary building, many have criticised the decision saying it does not fit with the design of the parliament. Italian architect Antonio Belvedere, a leading architect of the City Gate project, described this decision as "a shame", insisting the original design did not feature a flea market.

The government is however insisting that the relocation of the flea market will include "the reorganization of the monti  with uniform stalls and standards of cleanliness which the hawkers must adhere to."

Those interested in submitting their designs should send an email to [email protected] by no later than Friday 6 February at noon. Interested parties will be informed of the details of the expression of interest and eventually whether they are eligible to submit their proposals.

The current design includes the painting of red eight-pointed crosses on a stall made of PVC, metal and wood.