The prime minister has agreed with Opposition leader Bernard Grech that Lorenzo Vella and Karl Gouder should be posthumously awarded Gieħ ir-Repubblika.

"It would be an appropriate tribute and a sign of respect to award them that honour," Robert Abela said on Tuesday.

Lorenzo Vella, 43, was a former Labour Party activist who died in August while serving as head of the EU representation in Malta.

Gouder, a former Nationalist MP and chief operating officer at PN headquarters, died last week aged 45, days after announcing his intention to run for election as PN general secretary.

On Monday, Bernard Grech said he would be nominating Gouder and Vella for the Gieħ ir-Repubblika award in appreciation of their work for the country.

Grech said the country needed to recognise those who, like Gouder and Vella, loved their country and worked for its people through their different fields.

Gieħ ir-Repubblika is Malta's highest honour, which comes in various grades.

Abela remarked that he was good friends with Gouder despite sitting on opposite sides of Maltese politics.

He also noted that Vella was always a respectable and loyal ambassador wherever he worked.