Edward Scicluna loses Simon Busuttil libel over money laundering investigation claim

Updated at 1:30 pm with Repubblika statement  

Edward Scicluna has lost a libel case he had filed against former PN leader Simon Busuttil over Busuttil’s claim that the then-finance minister was “embroiled in a money-laundering investigation.”

Scicluna, a former finance minister and incumbent Central Bank governor, had sued Busuttil for libel over a tweet that Busuttil published in July 2019, when Scicluna’s name was being mentioned as a potential candidate for European Commissioner.

“As a eurozone country, we CANNOT AFFORD to have a Finance Minister embroiled in a money-laundering investigation. For the sake of our country, Edward Scicluna MUST GO NOW, at least until he clears his name,” Busuttil had tweeted.

Scicluna was one of three ministers subjected to a court investigation over the privatisation deal for three state hospitals with Vitals Global Healthcare, together with Konrad Mizzi and Chris Cardona.

In his submissions in the libel case, Scicluna had argued that the tweet had caused him “great harm” and denied that the finance ministry had been involved in the hospitals deal. Cabinet assumed collective responsibility for similar service concessions, he said.

But the former minister, who was made Central Bank governor in 2020, also said that he had been involved in the magisterial inquiry, which Busuttil made reference to in his tweet.

In a judgement on Monday morning, Magistrate Rachel Montebello dismissed the libel suit.

Repubblika reacts

Civil society NGO Repubblika said Monday’s court decision “is another sign” that Scilcuna’s position in a public role is not tenable.

It said former Nationalist leader Simon Busutill’s comment on Scicluna was right.

“We have a [Central Bank] Governor, who, as Simon Busuttil described in his tweet about this case, "is embroiled in a money laundering investigation",” the NGO said.