The Medical Council has stuck to its decision to fine Frank Portelli, the CEO of St Philip's Hospital, €10,000 even though he threatened legal action.

Dr Portelli accused the council on Monday of acting "outside the powers granted to it by law" when it fined him and threatened to remove him from the medical register.

In a strongly worded statement, he said the council had no legal authority to decide on the actions of a CEO of a private hospital and asked it to "immediately withdraw" the decision or "face legal consequences".

Dr Portelli said he would be holding "each individual member of the council legally liable for damages" to his reputation.

However, the council condemned any threats made against its members and insisted that all of them had to carry out their job with integrity and honesty.

The decision, just like any other, was taken to the best of every individual's knowledge and conscience. The council would not enter into any debate on the subject matter, it said.

The issue is over allegations of overcharging made by Dr Portelli in 2003 against Louis Buhagiar, who occasionally worked at St Philip's Hospital. Dr Portelli, in his capacity as CEO, had sent a letter to Dr Buhagiar informing him that he had been suspended from St Philip's. The letter had been copied to all hospital staff and the Medical Association of Malta.

Dr Portelli had also written to Josie Muscat, a director at St James Hospital in Sliema, another private hospital, asking him to follow suit and suspend Dr Buhagiar.

The council has found that the letter was defamatory in Dr Buhagiar's regard and ordered Dr Portelli to pay a fine of €10,000, threatening to strike him off the medical register if he failed to pay.