The Nationalist Party this evening expressed its disappointment at the Government's decision to withdraw a project through which the Museum of Fine Arts was being moved to Auberge d'Italie in Merchants Street.

On Tuesday, Times of Malta reported that artists were in “shock” at the news that the Government was ditching plans to move the National Museum of Fine Arts out of its present inadequate location, against the advice of Tate experts.

Yesterday, the Government said it remained committed to set up a National Arts Gallery as promised in its electoral manifesto.

The decision, it said, meant that all the preparatory work done by Heritage Malta in past years would be pushed aside

The government's decision, the PN said, was an insult to the Maltese artistic community and showed that the Government did not give the culture and arts sector in Malta any importance.