Former General Workers Union secretary general Tony Zarb has taken to Facebook once again, this time to attack Archbishop Charles Scicluna, saying nothing will stop him from defending Malta against people he describes as traitors.

He was reacting to comments made by Mgr Scicluna, who spoke against hate speech on Sunday, and has since been the target of pro-Labour exponents such as Alfred Grixti and now Tony Zarb. The archbishop was generic in his explanations, but it seems that his comments are being perceived as remarks against Labour.

Zarb raised controversy when he openly attacked Nationalist MEPs David Casa and Roberta Metsola after the Prime Minister faced a European Parliament sitting on the Panama Papers scandal last week.

In his post, Zarb asked where the archbishop was when people wanted him (Zarb) dead. “I will not stop from defending our country from traitors. It is not hate to take it against people who wish harm to Malta. If the Archbishop really loves Malta he should condemn all those who damage Malra, both if they are Maltese and more so if they are foreigners.”

He accused the archbishop of not taking any action when the church media RTK “campaigned to divide the country under the leadership of a person who calls himself a priest,” an obvious reference to Fr Joe Borg whom Zarb did not mention by name.

Zarb concluded by saying he is prepared to meet the archbishop to explain why he reacts in such a manner whenever “Malta is harmed”.