To spank or to sodomise - Brincat and Bondi cross swords

What began as a simple expression voiced in Maltese terms, is fast turning into allegations of vulgar speech

On Sunday 9 June the MLP deputy leader, Dr Joe Brincat addressed the public in Gudja and during his speech, he voiced his opinion on the state of affairs concerning the EU – in plain Maltese language. "Nispiccaw biz-zokk f’idejna….pero anke nispiccaw biz-zokk fuq il-warrani……iz-zokk nuzawh fuq il-warrani." These phrases formed part of his speech and immediately elicited giggles from members of the listening crowd, who immediately tuned to one track of the comments.

Incidentally in a column of Joe Brincat appearing on Thursday 13 June on L-Orizzont, the politician himself referred to this gaffe to which apparently several people had referred whilst in conversation with him.

He claimed that what he said had been in plain Maltese language, referring to a spanking with a stick and in no way had he meant to refer to anything remotely vulgar.

On Friday 14 June in his regular column to The Times, Lou Bondi stated that Joe Brincat had spoken in an extremely vulgar manner to say the least, and claimed that Brincat had said that "the European Union was trying to sodomise us" and that "According to the MLP deputy leader we should, as it were, turn around and sodomise Europe back."

When speaking to

MaltaToday Dr Joe Brincat flatly denied,that he ever used the words "the European Union was trying to sodomise us", an expression used by Lou Bondi in his column to The Times.

Equally untrue, he said, is the statement made in the same article that the response should be "as it were, turn round and sodomise Europe back"

Dr Brincat said that both these statements are factually incorrect. "They are not my comment and as such are libellous, as they attribute to me words which I did not say." What Dr Brincat did say if we take the literal translation that we should use the stick to spank the bottom of those who are dealing on Malta's behalf with the E.U.

This translation still leaves a question to one’s mind? If a spanking is required, who should dispense with it and who will be receiving it?