The editor of the newspaper Malta Today, Matthew Vella, yesterday filed a counter judicial protest against the Finance Minister Tonio Fenech over an article that appeared last Sunday.

In the protest, Mr Vella denied the minister's claims that the story was published to slander him and his wife and said their claims were unfounded.

Mr Fenech claimed the article was false and full of inaccuracies, which were repeated by Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat during a political meeting on Sunday and eventually given prominence in the 7.30 p.m. bulletin of One News.

Mr Vella said it was Malta Today's duty to investigate and publish such stories and it was the right of the press to report on those occupying public posts which, in a democratic society, were reasonably open to any form of scrutiny.

Mr Fenech had filed his protest against Dr Muscat, Mr Vella, the head of One News Glenn Beddingfield and the director of Rainbow Turnkey Projects Charles Magro.

Lawyer Philip Manduca signed Mr Vella's counter protest.

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