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‘Nationalist’ businessman tells court of umbrage at being called a Nationalist
GRTU vice-president and medicines importer Mario Debono gives witness in libel suit against newspaper.
30 January 2012, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
1 min read
GRTU vice-president Mario Debono.
A former ministerial head of secretariat, Mario Debono, told a court this morning he felt annoyed at being described as a "Nationalist" in a news story appearing in General Workers Union organ l-orizzont.
Mario Debono, 44, a vice-president of the Chamber of SMEs (GRTU) and director of medicinal importers Alpha Pharma, filed a libel suit against l-orizzont over a news story that revealed he was supplying medicine to the health division while also being under investigation on charges of illegal importation of medicines.
Debono told a court today that he felt insulted at having been described as a Nationalist activist, when the story concerned his activities as a pharmaceutical importer.
Debono however admitted in court that he had been the author of comments he posted in the blog of Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia, where he described himself as "a Nationalist from the beginning of my existence, and my father's existence, and his father before him. We are no Strickland turncoats."
Debono also confirmed he had been head of secretariat to Ninu Zammit, a former parliamentary secretary and later minister, in the early 1990s.
The GRTU has defended Debono against the police charges he faced in 2010, saying what happened to him was a mishap of rapid email purchasing, and that Debono's firm was tricked by illegal suppliers.
Debono was also asked in court about previous police charges brought against him, to which he admitted having sent hate mail to Labour leader Joseph Muscat in 2007, when the latter was still an MEP. In the emails he sent him, Debono referred to Muscat as "Goebbels", former foreign minister George Vella as a "birdbrain", Labour commentator Manwel Cuschieri as "maqjel" (pig sty), and Labour leader Alfred Sant as a "mental masturbator".
On 15 January, Debono was elected vice-president GRTU for training and development.
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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Anki dan l-ohxon qed jisthi jghid li hu Nazzjonalist. Forsi ghandu ghafejn, ukoll, min jaf? Li naf hu li xi darba kien investigat ghax gie mixli li importa medicini fasulli.
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I don't blame him considering the position and the state that his party is in at the present moment . It's a pity that there are hardcore supporters that feel ashemed when someone refer to them as Nationalists .
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Realy ashame to call someone nazjonalist, as described by Mr Debono,and how must he feel on the hate comments he posted to PL members.
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This guy is big enough to make him a national park.
Ian George Walker •
I hereby declare that I will not be offended if somebody describes me as a "Laburist" and I will not sue anyone.
:)
Luke Camilleri •
Pajjiz tal-Mickey Mouse where one cannot even call a spade , a spade!
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Kif ma stahax imur il-Qorti b'libell kontra l-Orizzont ghax iddiskrivietu bhala " nazzjonalist " ? Mid-dettalji li hargu fil-Qorti suppost laqqat hu libelli tal-kliem moqzies li uza kontra Alfred Sant, Joseph MUscat, George Vella u Manwel Cuschieri ! Jew qiegehd il-Qorti ghax xi hadd minn dawn ghamlulu libell ? Aktar hekk jixraq.Nisknta li ghandu kariga fil-G.R.T.U. !
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Shame on you l-Orizzont.....calling a Nationalist "a Nationalist"... dan bis-serjeta jew ha jiftah kawza ta' libell?.... xi deficenti bhal dan jonqosha l-qorti biex taqta iktar lura mill-kawzi!!
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Dan xi joker of the year?
Carmen Saccasan •
Ara naqra f'hiex wasal il-partit nazzjonalista. Nazzjonalist minn gharqubu jiehu ghalih ghax qalulu li hu nazzjonalist.
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What a hypocrite this Mario Debono is! Now he is annoyed at being labelled 'nationalist' ! Now, when he is smelling the winds of change blowing and as an astute business man he wants to play down his adoration of the PN, so that he can still get his tenders under the PL. His admittince of calling PL people the names he called them shows what a fanatic this man is and how dangerous it is to have the likes of this fanatic nationlalist in public posts such as that of the GRTU. He is in cahoots with the dirtiest, vilest mad woman -with- pc -in- the dining- room this country has ever seen and that says enough of the type this man is. Now he is ashamed to be called nationalist. We do not blame him, becsue it has stopped being an honor being linked to the PN .But, Mario Debono, its too late now. We know the type you are, what you are capable of and .. it is not at all complimentary! Now we wait for Mrs Venom and Bile to come to your rescue on her Running Vomit and Diarrhea.
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jisthi jghid li qed jimplikawh li hu nazzjonalist, ara fhiex wasalna, nghiduha kif inhi ma nghatihx tort li jisthi.
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Il-GRTU ghandha vici-president bil-golgol. Dan bil-lawrija ukoll qisu!!!
