Earlier today, the Times of Malta reported that Muscat decided to withdraw the libel suit after Grima clarified that his remark was never intended to be taken literally. Instead, he explained that his comment was meant to criticise what he perceives as a culture of impunity fostered by Muscat’s government.

After the publication, Grima went on to share the comment he gave to the newsroom in its totality on his social media. He wrote:

“Keith Schembri had been summoned to testify during yesterday’s sitting but hadn’t been notified before the sitting. Mr Schembri however happened to be in court in hall 11 yesterday and was served with the summons to appear at noon before Mag. Asciak. Despite having been notified, Mr Schembri did not attend for yesterday’s sitting.

Furthermore, George Cremona was also summoned and was present to confirm his previous testimony that he contacted the FBI on his own steam and not on anybody’s instructions. This contradicts Muscat’s testimony. Joseph Muscat was summoned to continue testifying.

Muscat had a sudden change of heart and accepted a declaration made three years ago in open court that he had created a culture of impunity and violence that led to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a declaration he flatly rejected, back then, only to accept it years later”.

Grima’s lawyer had made a similar argument during a hearing of the case in 2022, saying his comments were referring to a European Parliament resolution and the conclusions of the public inquiry that concluded Muscat’s government had created or permitted the conditions that led to the murder of Caruana Galizia.

This is the declaration Grima referred to in today’s statement.

In earlier comments to the Times of Malta, Muscat said he dropped the case because Grima admitted that he never meant to literally implicate the former prime minister in the assassination.

What do you make of Muscat’s decision to drop the libel suit?