The former lawyer of the General Workers’ Union, George Abela, yesterday filed two libel suits against the union’s information officer and the union’s newspaper l-orizzont.

Dr Abela, who used to represent the union in court cases and who has now been replaced by another lawyer, is appearing for Josephine Attard Sultana and Francis Buttigieg in their efforts to fight the decision taken to expel them from the union.

Dr Abela took offence at what he described as a “fierce attack” on him and his credibility. The first libel suit was filed against l-orizzont editor Frans Ghirxi over a story published on the front page on 5 August. Dr Abela said this article contained false and libellous allegations about him. He claimed that the allegations were published in order to tarnish his reputation and expose him to public ridicule.

In his libel suit, Dr Abela explained that he had written to Mr Ghirxi before the story was published and warned him about the consequences of publishing such a story.

However, although warned, the editor still published the story, Dr Abela claimed.

The second libel suit was filed against GWU information officer Charles Vella over a statement he issued on behalf of the GWU on 4 August and which was reported extensively in the follow day’s edition of the union’s daily newspaper l-orizzont.

He said this statement contained defamatory allegations which were aimed at tarnishing his reputation and expose him to public ridicule.

Dr Abela called on the court to declare the statement and the article libellous and order the editor and information officer to pay him damages.