Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/216204
14 News maltatoday, SUNDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 2013 2013 'Caruana Galizia attacks family, friends to undermine critics' Malta Independent's columnist's allegations that MaltaToday was being sold were aimed at creating "biggest possible commercial damage" MEDIATODAY'S managing editor Saviour Balzan testified in court on Friday, in a defamation suit against Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who alleged that MaltaToday – the company's newspaper – was to be sold to the General Workers Union after the 2013 election. Balzan told Magistrate Franco Depasquale that Caruana Galizia's allegations were an invention and blatant lie aimed at bringing about the "biggest possible commercial damage to Mediatoday and to destabilise staff at MaltaToday". Balzan and co-owner Roger de Giorgio instituted the libel proceedings, telling the court that Caruana Galizia had caused irreparable commercial damage. "Caruana Galizia has systematically attacked my family, friends and persons personally associated with the company's shareholders. She is malicious, cruel, and a liar," Balzan told the court. "It is her way of intimidating those who questioned the Nationalist Party while in power." Balzan said a familiar pattern had manifested itself wherein Caruana Galizia would retaliate with poison-pen blogs whenever she sensed she would be the subject of a news report, when the PN's inner circle was under attack, or whenever her personal friend Richard Cachia Caruana was being scrutinised. In court, Cachia Caruana happened to be present, listening to Balzan's testimony. Caruana Galizia herself was absent for the sitting. Her legal defence, Joe Zammit Maempel, objected to Balzan's statement, asking him to justify his assumptions. "You cannot make accusations, as you made in the case of Austin Gatt," Zam-