Keith Schembri’s withdrawal of libel suit an admission of guilt, Delia says

Keith Schembri’s withdrawal of his libel case against former Opposition leader Simon Busuttil is tantamount to an admission of guilt, Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia said yesterday morning.

Speaking on the party’s radio station, Delia said that the OPM chief of staff’s decision to give up his court case indicated that everything Busuttil had said about him was true.

Over the past week, Delia said, people from all walks of life, including Labourites, had approached him to say that Schembri had decided not to testify in court – after he was warned by the magistrate – so as not to incriminate himself.

“What is also of great concern is that in spite of all this, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has once again chosen to defend

Schembri. Muscat has once again chosen Schembri’s interests over the interests of Malta and the Maltese,” he said.

“Muscat is ready to put Malta’s future at risk, including the possibility of the country being blacklisted, to defend Schembri,” he continued.

The PN leader said the party had decided to join the demonstration against corruption in Valletta this evening because it wanted to add its voice to those of many individuals and organisations fighting the most corrupt government in Maltese history.

He said the PN parliamentary group would be meeting today to discuss the way forward and determine how the party would work to pass on its message to as wide a spectrum of people as possible.