Editor says Gonzi’s aide fed story on PN critic’s suffering mental health problems
MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan says Edgar Galea Curmi approached him with stories on government critics
20 January 2014, 12:00am
Chris Mangion
Chris Mangion
1 min read
MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan told a court that Edgar Galea Curmi, the personal assistant to former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi, had on various occasions approached the media to spin news stories against government detractors.
Taking the witness stand in a defamation case Galea Curmi filed against former One News editor Kurt Farrugia, now a spokesperson for Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Balzan said he used to be in regular contact with Galea Curmi prior to the 2008 elections.
"Due to his high-profile position, it was logical that there was contact between him and people in the media. I was one of these people. I chased stories and Galea Curmi wanted to give stories a political spin. This is the norm with people in his position, as Richard Cachia Caruana did before him, and others do today," Balzan said.
Balzan told the court that questions sent by MaltaToday to the Office of the Prime Minister had been published in their entirety on the blog of Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia, suggesting the proximity between the blogger and the Gonzi administration.
He said that Galea Curmi had tried to feed him stories on the mental health problems suffered by Jo Said, a one-time critic of the Gonzi administration, and former Alternattiva Demokratika's chairperson Harry Vassallo's conviction on unpaid VAT fines.
"In both cases he asked me to run these stories, handing me an envelope containing Said's medical records," Balzan said. "I informed him that I would not publish Said's case because it dealt with health issues, while in the case of Vassallo, I said that he was my friend and I refused to publish a story against him."
The case continues on 10 March.
Chris Mangion is MaltaToday’s photojournalist, joining the newspaper in 2013.
In 1995...
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Dan l-istess ruh li issa halliena kien vittma ta komplott ta l-erwieh tajba u demokristjani li kienu Kastilja mall-Prim Ministru Gonzi-nepputi ta l-Arcisqod Gonzi li ukoll halla dizastru spiritwali u socjali f'Malta ? L-aqwa li nippompaw sidirna?
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Mela Sur Balzan, ghax xi hadd ikun habib tieghek, il-verita' tahbiha hux; veru ipokrita
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Aren't medical records supposed to be personal documents? So why isn't Mr. Galea Curmi being taken to court for having sensitive medical information on third parties in his possession? If Mr. Galea Curmi leaked the medical records to DCG, it's even worse. So how come, he can sue for libel and no one can sue him?
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Illi xi hadd, jipprova jxandar taghrif mediku kunfidenzjali ta' haddiehor, hu ghemil baxx u moqziez u ta' ghib ghal min ried ixandru. Tfigg il-mistoqsija dwar min ghadda dan it-taghrif lil min ried iwettaq dan l-ghemil moqziez. Dan jinhtieg inkun mistharreg sewwa. Ghib ghal amministrazzjoni li dejjem hbiet ghemilha taht is-sotor tal-kunfidenzjalita, tistupra l-ghola principji tal-kunfidenzjalita. Nifhem li wiehed jixhed li jkun habib ta' Harry Vassallo, naturali, ghax Dr Vassallo xtaq u prova jaghmel il-gid. Izda li ma tixxandarx ahbar ghax tolqot habib, nifhimha inqas.
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Galea Curmi has all the ingredients for a nationalist MEP.
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OXXENITA.................
U GONZI jaf b'kollox. U mhux hekk Mrs Gonzi President u Dr Gonzi jmexxi hu. Vera fi zmienu saru oxxenitajiet biss.
Lino Spiteri qall li Simon iddikjara gwerra lill Gvern. Dan kollu minnu. Wara 25 sena jahtru Nazzjonalisti kull post allura bil fors li dawn se jostakulaw. Ezempju.
Il Ligi tac citadinanza
Il Ligi tal unjoni civili
L-MUT tirtira mill board tal edukazzjoni wara laqgha mall PN.
Prof Xuereb li hatruh tal PN jghid li l-EU jistu jkollhom cans
Mons Scicluna paniku fuq l-addozzjoni tal gays. Ahjar jghidilna x'gara il gharghur?
Importanti li l-Prim Ministru ma jafdax lil tal PN ghax dawn illum imgielgha biex ifixklu.
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Aren't medical records supposed to be personal documents? So why isn't Mr. Galea Curmi being taken to court for having sensitive medical information on third parties in his possession? If Mr. Galea Curmi leaked the medical records to DCG, it's even worse. So how come, he can sue for libel and no one can sue him?
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Viva l-Partit tal Motto Religio e Patria. Kont nahseb li zmikernijiet tat-Terinati spiccaw. Kont zbaljat ghax ghadhom jigru nsal.gurnata mqaddsa tal-lum
