The author of Is-Sriep Regghu Saru Velenuzi has turned down a medal for the service to the Republic.

Alex Vella Gera, who resides in Brussels, was to receive the same honour controversial author Mark Camilleri did today.

But whereas Mr Camilleri accepted the award, Mr Vella Gera said that he did not want to be drawn into the political controversy.

Mr Camilleri was the editor of Ir-Realtà – a pamphlet distributed at University - who published a short story by Mr Vella Gera entitled Li Tkisser Sewwi.

After having faced a court over the issue, Mr Camilleri set up Front kontra ic-censura.

"I cannot accept an honour from the Maltese political class which, apart from some exception, has been causing too much damage to my country," Mr Vella Gera said on Facebook.

"The contradictions are clear in this honours' list, among them being a Russian politician who is close to Vladimir Putin, and whose anti-gay campaign we are well aware of, and at the same time in the list there is transsexual Joanne Cassar.

"I feel I have made the right choice not to get involve in this farce, where someone who is given a national honour becomes a pawn in the insidiousness of the Maltese political game," he wrote.

The government had come under fire by the Opposition "for having rushed into approving amendments to the Gieh ir-Repubblika Act". The PN had accused the government of having a hidden agenda to award Labour-leaning individuals or individuals who were promised an award by the Labour Party prior to the general election.

The amendments were approved just under two weeks ago and the PN vited against the amendments.