The PN's local councillors in Valletta expressed their satisfaction at the decision of the Court of Appeal, which they said overturned the ruling of the Public Contracts Review Board regarding the call for interest for works on the facade of the Collegiate Church of St Paul's Shipwreck.

In a statement signed by Ylenia Montfort, Roberta Bonello and Vince Fabri, PN Valletta local councillors, the PN said that the same judgment also annulled the decision by the Valletta Local Council to cancel the call for interest for works on the church's facade.

"In his testimony, the Chairperson of the Selection Committee stated that the EPPS system (the platform used to issue calls for works, among other things, by Local Councils) does not allow for a reason to be given when a call is cancelled, there is only an option to cancel."

"This argument failed to convince the Court, which cited other legal rulings in its judgment. The Court held that if there truly was an obstacle to sending the decision through the EPPS, nothing prevented the Local Council from conveying a reasoned decision through other means, as required by Regulation 15(3) of the Public Procurement Regulations," the PN said.

"In its decision, the Court identified two major shortcomings in this case: firstly, that the Valletta Local Council failed to provide a written statement of its decision to cancel the expression of interest, and secondly, that it did not inform the interested parties of this decision."

"The Court ruled that it is not sufficient for the Mayor to announce the cancellation of the call on his personal social media, as what he wrote does not represent the official position of the entire Local Council, but merely reflects his personal opinion. The Court's decision now reverts the situation to what it was before the cancellation of the call was confirmed," the PN said.

The PN local councillors in Valletta said they are satisfied with this ruling, "which delivers justice to the people of St Paul's parish in Valletta. They reiterate their consistent support for the tender and for the maintenance of our national heritage, especially this part of Valletta's UNESCO legacy. They have worked and will continue working tirelessly to ensure that justice and transparency prevail in the Valletta Local Council. The PN's local councillors remain fully committed to ensuring that the Valletta Local Council operates fairly and that the Collegiate Church of St Paul is given the full recognition and honour it deserves."