Nationalist MP David Agius was awarded €2,500 in damages today after a court concluded that he had been libelled by an article published in It-Torca in February 2008.

Mr Agius claimed that the article entitled "David Agius: iva hemm il-korruzzjoni fil-PN" was libellous and he requested the Magistrates Court presided over by Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera to award him damages.

Mr Agius told the court that he had participated in the programme "Ir-Realta'" on Smash TV in which he had said that if there any hint of corruption, action had to be taken. The newspaper had however claimed that Mr Agius had said that there was corruption within the PN.

In its judgement the court said that a balance had to be maintained between an individual's reputation and the right to freedom of expression. The newspaper had a duty to inform the public of matters of public interest but it could not damage an individual's reputation by saying that corruption existed.

In order for a defence of fair comment to be successful, the newspaper had to prove that the facts in issue were substantially true.