A Valletta councillor this morning expressed outrage at a joint press conference called by the council together with Din l-Art Ħelwa, Friends of the Earth and the Valletta Alive Foundation entitled 'Valletta’s outstanding universal value at risk'.

Soon after a press call, for tomorrow, was issued this morning, councillor Ray Azzopardi wrote to the council and the media saying he and his Labour councillors could not be part of this press conference, as they had not been informed about it.

“I do not know how you can include the council when this matter is not supported by the whole council,” he wrote.

He noted that the issue should have been discussed at a council meeting and said this was a mediocre way of how to manage an agenda.

But mayor Alexiei Dingli immediately wrote back saying the matter had been discussed and unanimously approved, including by Mr Azzopardi during the last council meeting.

An open letter to the Prime Minister, with an urgent call for action regarding Valletta's future, is expected to be launched during the press conference.