Updated | John Dalli writes to BA, demands action against Lou Bondì

Adds Lou Bondi's reaction

In a reaction to Commissioner John Dalli’s statement, Bondiplus presenter Lou Bondi said he will report the Maltese Commissioner to the European Commission.

“Dalli thinks he can hinder free journalism in Malta by saying untrue things about Bondiplus,” Bondi said. He added that Dalli has long been lying about Bondiplus, including his intervention on ONE TV.

Bondi defended his question to guest Paul Borg Olivier when he asked him whether there was a connection between Franco Debono’s declaration over the Maltese Parliament and the European Commission and the fact that John Dalli is a member of that same Commission.

“The question was journalistically legitimate and in the right context. It is not our problem or the problem of the Broadcasting Authority if John Dalli didn’t like it,” Bondi said, adding Dalli was attempting to hinder free journalism.

He added that he was going to write to the EC President and MEPs to report Dalli’s “unacceptable behaviour”.

In a letter to BA Chairman Anthony Tabone, Commissioner John Dalli urged the Authority to take action against Lou Bondì, claiming the presenter was using the PBS show “for his personal interests.”

Discussing the Opposition motion calling for Transport Minister Austin Gatt’s resignation yesterday evening, Bondì yesterday asked PN secretary-general Paul Borg Olivier whether he suspected the hand of Commissioner John Dalli - a candidate for the PN leadership in 2004 - behind the rebellion of Nationalist backbencher Franco Debono, who is expected to abstain on the Labour motion.

Debono has been calling on Gatt to assume responsibility and has remained adamant that he will be abstaining from today’s vote in Parliament.

Borg Olivier categorically denied any interference from Dalli, to which Bondì again asked him if he was certain.

“Lou Bondi has once again chosen to mention my name into something which I have nothing to do with. I want to clarify that I have nothing to do with the whole issue, either directly or indirectly,” Dalli wrote in his letter to the BA.

Dalli went on to say that he was objecting to the BA for letting Bondì “make use of primetime to push forward his personal agenda, promoting, or trying to bring down whoever he feels like and when he feels like.”

“This was yet another link in the chain of misinformation and comments with the aim of tarnishing my reputation with the Maltese public.”

Dalli added that Bondì was taking this attack also on his personal blog.