Carmelo Abela says Court judgement condemning Jason Azzopardi for libel was appropriate
Former Minister Carmelo Abela said Tuesday that the Court judgement handed down in the libel suit he won against former PN MP Jason Azzopardi over claims of involvement in a bank heist was very appropriate and deserved.The Labour MP spoke during his
Former Minister Carmelo Abela said Tuesday that the Court judgement handed down in the libel suit he won against former PN MP Jason Azzopardi over claims of involvement in a bank heist was very appropriate and deserved.
The Labour MP spoke during his adjournment speech in Parliament, after last week, a Court condemned the "irresponsible way" in which Azzopardi proceeded, stating that instead of reporting to the competent authorities and exercising the expected diligence before publishing a specific imputation of fact regarding the complicity of Abela in a major crime, the court said he published his opinion regarding why he believed he was right to come to that conclusion.
Azzopardi implied that Abela was providing assistance to the robbers who carried out the 2010 HSBC bank heist.
Abela on Tuesday thanked his wife, children and parents, who over the past three years and a half provided support to Abela. He also thanked all his friends and constituents in the third electoral district who trusted him as an MP.
He thanked his lawyer Pawlu Lia, and said that in the 42-page judgement, the Court clearly showed how Azzopardi was a person eager for political scandals, and stretches his imagination to create theories about the former Minister, when there was no investigation, prosecution or condemnation on Abela on the crime he was accused of.
"Jason Azzopardi put me and my family in serious danger when he felt the need to include me with these criminals," Abela said.
He quoted the court sentence, which said that others, Azzopardi's affiliates, continued inflating this "lie" saying some of whom are still MPs in Parliament, and others outside of Parliament.
Abela said that Azzopardi and his friends were proved wrong, and that they had not even an interest in knowing the truth and the facts.
"On 30 September of this year, I was given confirmation by the court of Magistrates," Abela said, adding that he will remain serene, knowing that from what was written about him, there is nothing truthful, and said he swore this in Court, as well as before God.
"We speak about mental health, yet we are ready to destroy people and their families over differing political views, or some agenda," Abela said.
He said he expected Opposition Leader Bernard Grech to make an apology to him, given that he also criticised Abela over these allegations.
Abela said that Azzopardi and his friends' actions, "which represent a bad force," are not helping in attracting more people towards political life and service.
"We have developed a dangerous culture, one which the public must not accept. There are people who believe they have the right to say anything without the facts," Abela said.
He said there must be distinction between necessary scrutiny of politicians and an aimed, intensive attack on a person by extremist people whose only joy is to destroy others.
Abela said that the Court made it clear that Abela was not being investigated or condemned for a crime, which he said at the end of the day, had nothing to do with.
He tabled the court sentence in Parliament, and said that he felt thankful for the support he received in fighting against those who lie, so that they can suffer the consequences.
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