When Gonzi asked Saviour Balzan not to publish election survey

Balzan was testifying in a libel suit filed by Galea Curmi over a newspaper report and an opinion piece by Balzan, on the way former Nationalist councillor Cyrus Engerer's father was arrested on possession of cannabis shortly after Engerer left the PN.Mediatoday managing editor Saviour Balzan yesterday told a court that former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi had asked him personally not to publish election surveys in MaltaToday, and that his personal assistant Edgar Galea Curmi had tried to convince him to leak a story about people's health issues in this newspaper.

"Our working relationship went from good to disgusting," Balzan said of Galea Curmi. "But as journalists, it's accepted that one retains a working connection with the personal assistant of the PM."

Sadder than sad

I have not quite figured out what makes politicians so bloody thick.  But the decision to defend Peter Bonello’s (the St Julian’s Mayor) decision to issue a direct tender before the election to Zaren Vassallo is foolish.

To blame it on junior Labour minister Franco Mercieca is silly if not diabolical.

On another matter, the Darryl Luke Borg case, the decision to question the veracity of the Police board report because of the composition of its members is also questionable.  Yes, some of the board members have political connections and links.