Church, government discuss possibility of crematorium

The possibility of setting up a crematorium was discussed between Archbishop Paul Cremona and parliamentary secretary for planning Michael Farrugia during a meeting held at the Curia.

Farrugia said the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) was in the process of drafting a policy regulating cemeteries and referred to the possibility of setting up a crematorium.

According to a government statement, Cremona did not express any opposition to the idea. "The Church's side said that, from a religious point of view, it saw nothing wrong with a crematorium as it was ultimately a personal choice," the statement said.

Both sides also spoke about long-standing issues related to the Joint Office. Farrugia admitted that at the current rate, it would take "15 years" for these issues to be resolved.

They also agreed it was time to start re-discussing the scheduling of properties belonging to the Church which the previous government carried out on a number of churches.