The environment NGO Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar has welcomed confirmation, reported in The Times, that EU funds earmarked for the underground extension of St John's Co-Cathedral Museum will be directed to tourism-related projects.

In a statement, the FAA called for the resignation of the members of St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation.

It said the project had been 'concealed' from the public for two years in what could be considered a serious breach of ethics in a project concerning a scheduled public monument.

Furthermore the foundation allowed this application to be processed and it obtained EU funding for the project in full knowledge that the government was carrying out re-paving of Merchants' Street , costing hundreds of thousands of euro of public funds, which works would have been destroyed by the St John’s project.

The NGO also hit out at the foundation members for pressing on with the project in spite of being aware of many expert reports highlighting the grave risks of the project, including the MEPA Directorate declaration that "The project is a non-starter due to the fact that no mitigation measures can guarantee that the Cathedral's foundations will not be affected".

FAA said it expected the government to request the resignation of its representatives on the foundation as this was a matter of mismanagement of Malta’s prime heritage asset and also of public funds.

"The public has the right to expect good governance from its public representatives, elected or not."