Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this evening resurrected the idea of holding a referendum on whether a bridge or tunnel should be built between Malta and Gozo.

He said that while the first studies on a possible bridge had been made, he still wanted to see how much a tunnel would cost.

Once the studies were complete, he did not exclude holding a public consultation, among the Gozitans, he said, although there could be arguments that the Maltese should also be involved.

He said that while the initial study showed the cost of the bridge at around €800 million (excluding tax)  he was convinced  it would cost some €1 billion.

The initial cost estimates of the tunnel under the former government, at €300 million, were not realistic.

Furthermore there were environmental considerations for a possible tunnel as well, particularly regarding its entry and exit points.

The possibility of holding a referendum was also raised by Gozo Minister Anton Refalo in June last year.