Comino found itself in the midst of ample controversy this summer, as many locals looking to enjoy a day by the iconic Blue Lagoon came to realise that every inch of the beach was being taken over by rentable sunbeds and deckchairs.

To highlight the dire situation, only last month, local newspaper Times of Malta published a video showing employees preventing swimmers from moving the rentable deckchairs to make space for their own belongings…

…and days after the video was published, it pretty much went viral. Just over three weeks after the footage was released, it had already amassed 4.7 million views.

Now, a woman called Veronica Marie Bartolo Parnis is looking to take action.

Earlier this month, Veronica Maria filed a parliamentary petition asking authorities to remove sunbeds and deck chairs from Comino. As of today, 10 days after it was launched, the petition has reached 800 signatures.

“This petition is vital in order to restore the beauty of Comino in its simplest form – not littered with deck chairs. This is public land, and not commercial premises,” Veronica Maria wrote

“The Maltese public should not accept this, and the Government should never have allowed it to take place. This is the chance to take a stand and show that money does not rule, but the majority does,” she continued.

The petition will be open for signatures up until 13th November. To learn more about the cause, click here.