The graffiti sprayed on the new Valletta entrance last month should be completely removed by today.

The black stencil, depicting a girl and a boy arching their arms to form a heart, appeared on the left side of City Gate on August 29 and cost €4,000 to remove.

The graffiti was washed with high pressure and an additive, while the slab was scrubbed intensely using special equipment. An Infrastructure Ministry spokeswoman yesterday said the graffiti will be removed by today.