EU approves funds for Tarxien Temples shelter

A €2.2 million project to erect a shelter over the Tarxien Temples has been approved by the European Union, Heritage Malta said yesterday in reaction to criticism that nothing was being done to protect this historic site.

Owen Bonnici, Labour spokes-man for youth and culture, complained last week that advice to build a shelter to protect the Tarxien Temples from harsh weather conditions had been ignored. Part of a wall in one of the apses of the temples collapsed during heavy rain earlier this month.

Heritage Malta explained that, after the Scientific Committee for the Conservation of the Megalithic Temples last year concluded that a protective shelter should be installed over the temples, it had submitted an application for €2.2 million to be granted from the European Regional and Development Fund.