Lawyer Malcolm Mifsud, a former mayor, yesterday filed a counter-protest denying a claim of libel made against him by present Pietà mayor Sunny Attard.

Mr Attard had filed a judicial protest against Dr Mifsud and against Victor Camilleri as the editor of the newspaper Il-Mument.

According to Mr Attard, Dr Mifsud had alleged in an article published in the newspaper that he (Mr Attard) was wanted by the police because he was some kind of a criminal.

The current mayor called on Dr Mifsud and Mr Camilleri to publish a formal apology in the newspaper's next issue or face a libel suit.

But Dr Mifsud claimed that the article consisted in justified criticism of the current mayor.

Dr Mifsud said that his article had revealed that Mr Attard was refusing to meet with the police force in a co-ordination exercise. The police had complained in writing of Mr Attard's lack of co-operation.

Dr Mifsud denied that he had ever claimed that Mr Attard was a criminal, but said that he had levelled political criticism about Mr Attard's work as a mayor. He added that he was entitled to express his views and to defend a council employee from political discrimination.

Lawyer Cedric Mifsud signed the counter-protest.