Live coverage of Dom Mintoff funeral cortege

The funeral cortege of former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff, who passed away on Monday evening aged 96, will start today at 4 p.m.

The cortege will leave for Tarxien's square where Local Council Mayor Paul Farrugia, accompanied by council members and members of the Labour Party committee are expected to pay their last respects to the former Prime Minister.

The cortege will then proceed through the streets of Paola and Bormla.

At 4.40pm the cortege will arrive at Isla's Basilica where local council members and its mayor will accompany the cortege from Triq Il-Vitorja to the town's band club.

The next stop will be in Birgu in front of the Freedom Monument where council members and its mayor, together with the PL Committee of Birgu, will proceed to Misrah ir-Rebha from Triq Nestu Laiviera.

At 5.40pm, the funeral cortege will proceed to Bormla's PL club. Fr Joe Mifsud, Bormla's mayor and members of the San Gorg band club will accompany the cortege to the Kollegjata parish church. The cortege will stop in front of the band club where Dom Mintoff had served as its president for more then 50 years. 

At 6.30 pm, the cortege will leave for Marsa.

At 6.45pm, Marsa Mayor Chris Spiteri, alongside council members, the PL Committee of Marsa and members of the Ghaqda Muzikali Marija Regina and the Trinita Qaddisa band will proceed to Holy Trinity church.

At 6.45pm the funeral cortege proceeds to Hamrun and at 7.05 pm it's planned to stop in front of Triq Il-Kbira San Guzepp in front of the ex-Radio City entrance. The town's council members and mayor and members of the San Gejtanu band club, together with Hamrun PL committee members, will accompany the coffin to Triq Schembri and Triq Milend, then to the Centru Nazzjonali Laburista. While there, the coffin will be raised where Labour Party leaders, alongside other PL members, are expected to pay their last respects.

The cortege will then proceed to the capital city of Valletta, through St Anne Street, Floriana.

The cortege will stop for a few moments at City Gate where Valletta Mayor Alexei Dingli and members of the local council, the Valletta PL committee members and the National Philharmonic Society La Vallette and The King's Own band club will accompany the hearse from Republic Street to the President's Palace.

Between 9am and 1pm tomorrow, the body of Dom Mintoff will lay in state at the main entrance of the Palace, Valletta. President George Abela, followed by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and leader of the Opposition Joseph Muscat, are expected to pay their last respects to the former Prime Minister.

The public can pay their last respects between 4 and 7pm tomorrow.

On Saturday, the public can also pay their respects between 7.30 and 9.30am.

The cortege will then proceed to the St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta where Mass praesente cadavere will be held, led by Archbishop Paul Cremona.