1,106 new graves have been constructed in the Addolorata cemetery, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne said in Parliament on Monday.

Fearne was answering a parliamentary question posed by PN MP Claudette Buttigieg.

This is part of a project to construct a total of 2,880 new graves, out of which 1,106 have already been constructed, most of which are in the process of having contractual agreements finalised, the minister said.

This process will also involve works on the restoration of government buildings, monuments, and structures.

The completed works of this project are the Chaplains Building, Exedra, Depost, Gatt Chapel, the monument of the Sette Giugno, the Mortuary, the common graves, as well as the former Commune of Infants.

The works which are currently underway are the Boundary Wall, a workers' room, Via Crucis, Cross & Decorative Curbs, Ossuaries, the Administration Building, the crypt as well as the chapel (which is expected to be completed in 2023).

Work is also underway on internal roads where the transmission of CCTV, data, water supply and energy services, and so forth will be included in the northern part of the cemetery along with the renovation of the square in front of the main entrance. These will be completed within 4 weeks, the Minister remarked.

The price of these new graves is € 8,000 as established by Legal Notice 425 of 2016, which is an Order of 2016 amending the Order on the Price to be paid for the Acquisition of Graves and Sites for Graves.

The Minister also remarked that there are a number of agreements that were signed when the price of the graves was € 5,000 and that had to be observed since the provisions of the Regulations of 2016 on the price to be paid for the acquisition of graves does not apply to them.