The Malta Ranger Unit (MRU) has raised the alarm about an attempted illegal rental in the protected Natura 2000 area of ​​Pembroke.

At the end of July, MRU rangers reported to police that an individual had illegally parked a large caravan on the pristine coast of the Pembroke Natura 2000 site. The individual was asked to remove the caravan immediately as driving in the area is prohibited. The individual complied with the request at the time.

However, the same person is said to have posted an advert for renting a room on the website. The MRU immediately alerted the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) and requested an immediate investigation into the matter.

“We have requested the Malta Tourism Authority to investigate this matter immediately and not to allow this site to become a short-term rental area as this would cause the site to deteriorate rapidly,” the MRU said in its official statement. The rangers stressed that rapid environmental degradation could occur if such activities were allowed to continue unchecked.

The MRU urged the MTA to conduct a thorough investigation, including determining whether the property in question is government-owned and leased to the individual or privately owned. They also stressed the importance of verifying that the necessary permits were obtained before advertising the lease.

“If not, we call on the authorities to take legal action and stop the abuse,” the MRU said firmly.

In a positive development, MRU reported that the listing was removed from Facebook Marketplace shortly after its post and confirmed that all screenshots and information related to the listing were saved for possible future action.

The MRU urges the public to be vigilant and to report immediately any sightings of unauthorised vehicles entering the site.

“If you see any cars entering the premises (other than those of the Armed Forces of Malta), please notify us so that we can monitor the incident and report it to the relevant authorities,” the MRU advised.