The government will purchase the building occupied by the De Paule band club in Paola for €2.8 million, Culture Minister told Times of Malta.

Once the sale goes through, the government will rent out the place to the band club.

The minister confirmed news by Times of Malta that the government had concluded negotiations to purchase the place from the owners, following a long-fought legal battle to regain possession of the property that had been illegally taken from them for decades.

The owners of the building occupied by the De Paule Band Club in Paola had won back repossession of the property in Paola Square in 2018, at the end of a long battle in the law courts which has been ongoing since 1997. 

On Friday, Bonnici said €2.8 million will be the "full and final settlement" for all of the owners' claims.

He said following negotiations with the owners of the De Paule building started shortly after the government forked out €450,000 to landlords of a Sliema building housing the Stella Maris band club.

"We have concluded negotiations with the owners of the Paola building and entered into a promise of sale to save the band club," he said.

He said once the final contract is signed, a new rent contract will be drawn up with the De Paule band.