The minister for home affairs and national security Manuel Mallia is pondering a brief excursion into Sweden on Saturday for the annual barrage of forgettable music that is the Eurovision song contest.

Flights on Air Malta to Copenhagen, the closest airport to Malmo served by the national carrier, are currently retailing for €790 a pop.

Malta’s representative Gianluca Bezzina will be taking part in the second semi-final on Thursday. 17 countries will be taking part in the semi-final, with Gianluca taking to the stage in sixth position.

Should he qualify to the main event on the 18 May, he may well have the national security minister in his corner offering support.

Malta is usually well short of allies during the annual festival, which is notorious for its political voting.

A spokesperson for the ministry said that Dr Mallia will not be attending the semi-final, but plans for the final are “dependent on the agenda of the minister.”