Nationalist MP Francis Zammit Dimech raised a complaint of breach of privilege in parliament yesterday evening, insisting that a story about him having met Malta’s permanent representative to the EU, Richard Cachia Caruana, which was published and broadcast by the Labour-owned media was a blatant lie.

The story claimed that Dr Zammit Dimech, as chairman of parliament’s Foreign and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, met Mr Cachia Caruana at the Westin Hotel “to coordinate the work of the committee as it starts meeting on Tuesday to discuss the Labour motion calling for the resignation of Richard Cachia Caruana”. Dr Zammit Dimech said he had denied the claim, but the PL-owned media carried the story anyway.

Labour whip Joe Mizzi, on his part, complained that the Nationalist MP was implicating the Opposition, and that he hadn’t actually denied having met Mr Cachia Caruana.

But Dr Zammit Dimech repeated that the story was a blatant lie, and noted that One Radio/TV and Maltastar were owned by the Labour Party.

The Speaker is expected to issue a ruling in another sitting.