Update 2 | German prostitutes claim to have recognised Cardona, minister says witnesses should testify in court

A prostitute filmed inside the FKK Acapulco by the PN’s media using an undercover camera, has been recorded saying she could have recognised Chris Cardona’s official Joe Gerada upon being shown a photo of him.

The footage shows the prostitutes inside the German brothel, in Velbert, being shown the photos of Cardona and Gerada.

The footage is not entirely clear because of the undercover filming, but Net News says it showed two women the photos of the two men; at first the prostitute suggests she “thinks” she has seen Cardona, and then a second prostitute says she recognises Gerada when she is shown the photo.

In a statement, Cardona said the footage produce were “incomprehensible”.

Cardona said he was challenging the Opposition to present details of the alleged witnesses within 48 hours, so that they can be summonsed inside a court of law in eight defamation cases he had filed against Caruana Galizia, the PN, and Net News.

Cardona said the Opposition’s “lies” were intended to attack him personally for his work, that he had “nothing to hide” and would be ready to face the judgement of a court of law.

Cardona has insisted he can – and will – prove the allegations of having visited a German brothel in Velbert false, but said he would wait until he defends the “series of libel cases [he was] instituting” to present documentary evidence of his whereabouts on the days and times he was allegedly in Velbert.

Caruana Galizia has claimed she has proof, passed on to her from a source in Germany, that Cardona visited the FKK Acapulco club on Monday, where she alleged the minister and his EU policy offier Joe Gerada contracted a prostitute.

“I have proof, contrary to who made the allegations,” he said. “And you also need to know that we are aware of two people sent to Germany by the PN leadership, who are offering money for anyone willing to testify against me.”

He said Caruana Galizia, who did not take up an offer for a phone-in to the programme, “was doing the most harm to journalism”.

Cardona has denied visiting the brothel, or having taken part in any other activity outside of official appointments, while in Germany. “Do you really think I don’t know what I’ve got to lose here?” he said. “If I had actually done this, I could very well have come back, acknowledged my bad judgement and admit to having been to a brothel, since such activities are not illegal in Germany.”