Vella wins Lm1,500 in libel damages

Mr Justice Geoffrey Valenzia, sitting in the First Hall of the Civil Court, on Friday condemned The Malta Independent to pay Lm1,500 in libel damages to Dr George Vella, deputy leader of the Malta Labour Party, after the court concluded that he had been libelled by an article published on September 29, 1998.

The article complained of by Dr Vella was entitled "Surprise MLP nomination uncovers the new team" and continued under the subtitle "Most candidates face defeat".

According to plaintiff, the newspaper had alleged that he had clearly attacked Labour MP Dr Anglu Farrugia, practically calling him a traitor, and that Dr Vella intended, with another person, to institute a reign of terror in the MLP by carrying out a cleansing process within the party.

Dr Vella added that the article was libellous because it depicted him as intolerant, anti-democratic and Stalinist. All these allegations, he claimed, were totally unfounded and he requested the court to condemn the newspaper's editor to pay him libel damages.

In its judgment, the court noted that the article concerned the appointment of the two MLP deputy leaders and was published shortly before their election was to take place.

According to plaintiff, the newspaper article associated him with fear and intolerance, and portrayed him as a man who would not tolerate dissent and who would eliminate all his opponents. Plaintiff added that the article alleged that he would use the most Stalinist methods possible, and that Dr Vella, Opposition Leader Dr Alfred Sant and Manwel Cuschieri intended to conduct a reign of terror to weed out all those who were not in agreement with them.

Dr Vella added that the allegations were aimed at damaging him prior to the elections for the post of MLP deputy leader. Furthermore, when the article was published he had just ended his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affair. The newspaper and other similar publications were read by foreigners and by ambassadors who, just a few days prior to publication, knew him as Foreign Minister.

Dr Vella denied ever having called Dr Farrugia a traitor, and the court noted that Dr Farrugia had testified in the case to the effect that at no stage had Dr Vella done so.

In its judgment the court found that the article had seriously libelled Dr Vella. The fact that the allegations were made just before the elections within the MLP rendered the libel even more serious, and the court therefore condemned The Malta Independent to pay Lm1,500 in libel damages to plaintiff.

Dr Paul Lia was counsel to Dr Vella. Dr Tonio Azzopardi was counsel to The Malta Independent.