Former prime minister loses libel case against l-Orizzont

Court rules that calling a prime minister ‘a proven liar’ is acceptable in a democratic society

Former PN prime minister Lawrence Gonzi
Former PN prime minister Lawrence Gonzi

Former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi has lost a libel case against l-Orizzont after the latter called Gonzi “a proven liar” in a November 2010 editorial.

The court argued that, whilst calling an individual “a liar” could be harsh, an editor’s comment should be held as acceptable in a democratic society.

Editor Josef Caruana, his defence counsel explained, had called Gonzi a liar after then opposition leader Joseph Muscat had accused the then prime minister of lying during a televised programme. Caruana had been referring to the case of the BWSC and other “false promises” which Gonzi made in the run-up to the 2008 general election.

Magistrate Francesco Depasquale said that Gonzi, as prime minister, was a political person subject to a high level of public scrutiny. The court said the comment was not libellous or defamatory as it reflected the thoughts of an editor based on the facts he had corroborated.