Minister calls on weekly to retract allegations

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech filed a judicial protest contesting claims made in a Sunday newspaper that a small turnkey firm was told their work on his house was in return for his brokering the sale of Jerma Hotel.

The protest, which was also filed by Mrs Fenech, was against Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat, Malta Today editor Matthew Vella, the head of One News Glenn Beddingfield and the director of Rainbow Turnkey Projects, Charles Magro.

In the protest, Mr Fenech and his wife said the article was false and full of inaccuracies, which were repeated by Dr Muscat during a political meeting on Sunday and eventually given prominence in the 7.30 p.m. news bulletin of One News.

On Sunday, Malta Today published an article saying that Rainbow Turnkey Project had been sub-contracted to conduct a number of jobs at the minister's house after his intervention to help the main contractor sell the former Jerma Hotel in Marsascala.

The sale did not take place, the main contractor ran into financial difficulties and the sub-contractor was demanding payment directly from the minister, the article said.

Mr Fenech has denied the allegations and said he paid for the works after this was certified by an architect.

As a result, Mr and Mrs Fenech called for the allegations to be withdrawn within 24 hours and requested a public apology.

Lawyers Ian Spiteri Bailey and Joseph Giglio signed the judicial protest filed by Mr and Mrs Fenech.

Mr Vella is expected to file a counter protest today.