Malta will continue to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, Culture Minister Dolores Cristina said last night.

There had been many calls for Malta to withdraw from the contest after its disappointing results in the last three years. Just over 57% of respondents to a timesofmalta.com poll also said they were against Malta's continued participation.

But Mrs Cristina told Parliament that it was the view of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts that Malta should continue to participate.

She said the council spent €46,588 on this year's Eurovision contest, with other costs being met by sponsors.

Above: Morena representing Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 last month.