The Nationalist Party’s constitutional case against PBS and its “government takeover” commenced today, with both sides putting forward initial legal arguments. 

Judge Grazio Mercieca listened to PN’s lawyers and former secretary generals Paul Borg Olivier and Francis Zammit Dimech argue that PBS was breaching the party’s right to free expression by stifling its voice. 

Meanwhile, PBS’ lawyer Mark Vassallo argued that the PN got their legal arguments completely wrong and that the court should look at the admissibility of its requests before deciding whether the case should even continue. 

@lovinmaltaofficial Thoughts? #fyp #fypmalta #lovinmalta #malta #pbs #pn #courtcase #valletta ♬ original sound – Lovin Malta

After just under an hour of legal wrangling, Mercieca put the case off to 4th March, where the PN is expected to call upon and question its witnesses. 

Speaking to the media after the sitting, PN secretary general Michael Piccinino warned the government is using PBS to spread its own propaganda while the Opposition is being “completely cut off from political discourse”.

“We’re expecting the court to clearly state that there has been a breach of the rights of the PN and the general public,” he said. “It can then hand out any remedy it feels is correct for a democratic society so that people can listen to all voices, especially with an election on our doorstep.”