After a period of 25 years as the General Workers’ Union’s legal representative, lawyer George Abela yesterday took the witness stand in two libel suits he filed against the union’s daily newspaper l-orizzont, and categorically denied all the allegations the newspaper published against him.

Dr Abela was testifying in two libel suits filed against the newspaper. 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 claimed 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.

Testifying before Magistrate Silvio Meli, Dr Abela explained how he had been misquoted by the Nationalist Party media. He said that, in fact, the PN media carried a correction.

Dr Abela continued that l-orizzont had published the libellous article, based on the one in which he had been misreported, despite the correction.

He said the content of the article was libellous as it contained false information that damaged his honour and integrity.

During his testimony, Dr Abela also commented on the part of the article which alleged that he had affinities with the Nationalist Party. He said his legal firm had been awarded a contract for the provision of legal services at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority after the authority had issued a call for applications.

He explained that he was never approached by the government or the Nationalist Party for consultancy purposes.

Dr Abela also took the witness stand in a second libel suit he filed against l-orrizont’s editor Frans Ghirxi over a story published on the front page on 11 August.

The article was entitled Sorprizi bl-agir ta’ George Abela – Jithallas eluf kbar ta’ liri mill-Gvern Nazzjonalista izda jiehu ghalih meta jinghad li ghandu “affinità” mal-PN (Surprised with George Abela’s behaviour – paid thousands of liri by the PN government but takes offence when linked with PN).

Dr Abela denied several claims made in the article and said that the article contained false and libellous allegations aimed at tarnishing his reputation and exposing him to public ridicule.

The lawyer said he was never involved in the termination of employment within the union and insisted that in the 25 years he spent as the GWU’s lawyer, he never took any decisions on the way the union was run.

The case continues.