Former EU Commissioner John Dalli had filed a complaint to the police for defamation and perjury by the director general of the EU's anti fraud agency, Giovanni Kessler.

The complaint followed Dr Kessler's testimony in court this morning (see separate story)

In his complaint, Mr Dalli said Dr Kessler's testimony  in the case against Silvio Zammit was "fraught with selective quotations which have the effect of manipulation of the truth".

As reported in the press, Dr Kessler had stated that: “Dalli, on two occasions on 24 January 2012 and 28 February 2012, pushed for the lifting of the ban, or he tried to see what was necessary to do so”.

This, Mr Dalli said, was an outright lie.

"Onthe 28th February 2012, in a meeting that I had with my cabinet and DG Sanco between 11:30am and 12:30 pm, I finalized with them the parameters on which they had to formulate the preferred options in the impact assessment that they were to prepare for submission as the first step for the enactment of the directive. These parameters included the Ban on snus and also on other smokeless nicotine products.

Based on these parameters, SANCO, my cabinet and myself had a meeting with the Health NGO’s and MEP’s on the 29th February 2012 between 18:40 and 19:30. This was to listen to their views on the directive.

On the 7th March 2012 between 17:00 and 18:30 the same team met with the tobacco industry to give them a chance to air their views.

After these meetings it was decided by SANCO and myself that no changes were to be made to the original parameters decided on the 28th February 2012.

As a result of this, SANCO presented the impact assessment to the Impact Assessment Board of the Commission.

I am enclosing an official document dated 19th March 2012, with a summary of the impact assessment.

I deem Kessler’s statements not only defamatory but also as perjury.

I request that you take appropriate action against Giovanni Kessler. As he will be leaving Malta today or tomorrow I would like you to treat this as urgent."