Prime Minister inaugurates ‘eternal flame’ monument at Castille

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has inaugurated the ‘Eternal Flame’ monument at Castille Square, a bronze monument designed by architect Valerio Schembri that commemorates Malta's emancipation from colonial powers.

In his speech, Muscat said that the Maltese people are currently “living the dream” that the forefathers had fought for – that of an independent and flourishing country.

“We were a conquered nation for centuries, but we have now just finished a tenure at the head of the EU presidency that has been described as a success,” he said. “We succeeded because we kept on believing in ourselves.”

Muscat said that Malta’s economy is booming like never before and that the newly-created wealth is being “distributed to every corner of the country”.

He added that while the nation shouldn’t live in the past, it should not forget about it either but rather take lessons from it to keep driving the country forwards.

The monument, estimated to have cost a staggering €350,000, was met with outcry on social media - with critics saying that it resembles a charred tree, an oversized conifer, and even a dinosaur.