Wenzu Mintoff, head of legal services at Malta Enterprise and editor of the Labour Party's newspaper Kulhadd, has made a claim of political discrimination.

In a judicial protest filed yesterday, Dr Mintoff said Malta Enterprise chairman Alan Camilleri worked as communications officer for Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, both when he served as social affairs minister and as prime minister.

In a letter Mr Camilleri sent to Dr Mintoff on 1 December, 2009, Mr Camilleri accused the newspaper editor of working to see the party in government fall.

Dr Mintoff said this in itself shows that if either one of them is failing to distinguish between government and party politics, it is Mr Camilleri himself.

The lawyer has been employed with Malta Enterprise (formerly the Malta Development Corporation) for the past 23 years. He said he always carried out his duties diligently and with integrity, and he never mixed his work with political activities.

Following the letter of 1 December, there was an exchange of correspondence between Dr Mintoff and Mr Camilleri.

He said it is clear that the attitude that Malta Enterprise has adopted in his regard is intended to irritate him, and the allegations against him are degrading, and they violate his fundamental right to freedom of expression.

Dr Mintoff went on to say that Mr Camilleri is adopting an attitude of two weights and two measures.

He said there are other employees at Malta Enterprise and its subsidiary companies - some of whom have a higher profile than himself - who are also politically active, and others who are even PN candidates, but they all favour the party in government.

He mentioned lawyer John Bonello, the international secretary of the Nationalist Party, who provides legal services, as well as former EP candidate Vince Farrugia and PN activist and former journalist Jesmond Bonello, who sit on the Malta Enterprise board.

As for Alan Camilleri, Dr Mintoff argues, they have yet to hear the views of European Commissioner designate John Dalli about not only how partisan Mr Camilleri is for the party in government, but also as a member of a faction of the Nationalist Party, with clear family connections with quarters in the local media.

He added that this all goes to show that according to Malta Enterprise, you can provide services to the corporation and at the same time be politically active, but you have to favour the Nationalist Party.

The writ was signed by lawyer Toni Abela.