OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri has filed a criminal complaint against Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil, the Department of Information said.

The complaint was filed with the police commissioner by lawyers Edward Gatt and Mark Vassallo.

Schembri claims that Busuttil fabricated facts that he knows do not exist and of taking a false oath in court applications filed.

The latest application was filed by Busuttil on 14 July, requesting the Magistrates’ Court to open a criminal investigation on Schembri and Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi for acquiring companies in Panama.

The application, Schembri claims, is legally unsustainable because what Busuttil is requesting is already subject to a magisterial inquiry which Busuttil himself requested.

Reacting to the news on Twitter, Busuttil said: "So now they want to use the Police against me for standing up to their corruption. I have news for them: I will fight for democracy."