NYE will be 'wonderful' in Valletta despite the lack of fireworks

Valletta’s New Year’s Eve event will be “a wonderful night” even without the annual fireworks display, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici has said.

Times of Malta reported on Tuesday that the Malta Tourism Authority denied funding for the pyrotechnics in the capital city.

Instead, it is funding a display in Mellieħa to help promote the northern region, an area that forms part of Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo's electoral district. Bonnici, who has previously predicted around 50,000 people will attend Valletta's celebrations said the preparations are "going very well" for the event.

"It will be a wonderful night," he said.

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici answering questions regarding the NYE event.“It’s not an issue of disappointment,” he said regarding the lack of fireworks, “but rest assured that we have everything prepared to have a memorable night so we can celebrate together.”VCA chair Jason Micallef has said he was disappointed by the ministry’s decision not to support a fireworks display in the capital.

Micallef said that the tourism ministry informed him that it could not sponsor the display because funds were exhausted.

In 2018, the annual celebration added the fireworks...