Two Labour MEP candidates filed three libel suits against the Nationalist Party's media yesterday claiming that false and defamatory allegations had been made against them.

As the MEP election campaign entered its final week, Labour's candidates Edward Scicluna and Joseph Cuschieri took matters to court to clear their name.

Prof. Scicluna sued the editor of the daily newspaper In-Nazzjon, Alexander Attard, over the article entitled Joseph Muscat Joffri Difiża Dgħajfa Għad-Dikjarazzjoni Ta' Edward Scicluna (Joseph Muscat makes a weak defence of Edward Scicluna's declaration) published on Thursday. The article says that Prof. Scicluna had once said he believed healthcare should not be free.

"In this article, false and defamatory allegations were made... I am, and have always been in favour of a free healthcare system," he said during a press conference held outside the law courts shortly after he filed the suit.

In a second libel case, Prof. Scicluna sued Net TV head of programmes Louiselle Vassallo over the content of a political advert aired on Thursday.

According to Prof. Scicluna, the advert made use of a collage of footage from his speeches that were manipulated by the station.

Joseph Cuschieri filed a suit against the editor of the Sunday newspaper Il-Mument, Victor Camilleri, over an article entitled Kollox Ippjanat fil-Labour Għal Wara l-Elezzjoni (Labour has everything planned for after the elections). The article alleged that Mr Cuschieri would be employed as the managing director of Super One TV if not elected on Saturday. Mr Cuschieri claimed this was false and defamatory.

Both candidates called on the court to find the Nationalist media liable in damages they suffered.

Lawyer Pawlu Lia signed the suits.

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