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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2016 8 News TIM DIACONO PRIME Minister Joseph Muscat has defended his aide Glenn Beding- field, who has launched his own poi- son-pen blog against Labour critics. Bedingfield's blogs are a response to an onslaught of similar ad homi- nem missives from Daphne Carua- na Galizia, the Malta Independent columnist who turns any Labour voter into a subject of derision. Muscat told MaltaToday outside the PL headquarters that Beding- field doesn't attack anybody per- sonally in his blog, and that the principle of freedom of expression meant he should be allowed to keep on blogging, regardless of his per- son-of-trust-role within the Office of the Prime Minister. "Are you saying that political ap- pointees should not have a right to express their opinions?" Muscat asked, dismissing concerns that he endorsed Bedingfield's views. "Are Bedingfield and myself one and the same person? For good- ness' sake, we share different views, and whether I agree with what he writes in his blog or not is not an issue." While Bedingfield's right to ex- press himself is uncontested, the aide – who handles the OPM's PQ unit – regularly blogs during work- ing hours. "This is all about freedom of ex- pression, which states that every- body must shoulder responsibility for what they say and what they do," Muscat said. For readers who share Caruana Galizia's prejudice when it comes to anything Labour, Bedingfield is intent on attempting a mirror im- age of the nastiness. His targets naturally include MPs, candidates, PN youth campaigners, and of course Caruana Galizia herself – who has entered the fray on his blog herself. In one blogpost, he posted a pho- to of PN leader Simon Busuttil's girlfriend Kristina Chetcuti cel- ebrating a Valletta victory on the shoulders of football fans. Her back is to a man holding a paper plac- ard with the words "better from behind". It's the kind of mirth that runs on malice, not wit. Much like his assumed counter- part's blog, Bedingfield has raided Facebook profiles and posted pho- tos of critics in government post- ings or jobs. The message is clear: the political deterrent is balancing itself out on social media. Goose, gander Muscat told MaltaToday when questioned that he drew parallels between Bedingfield and Antoine Vella, a university lecturer who is a regular on online comments boards – not necessarily trollish, but equally ubiquitous. "As a university lecturer, Antoine Vella also receives his salary from the public purse," Muscat said with a chuckle. "I don't think any- body has ever told him not to write against me and indeed he has every right to do so. However, what's good for the goose is good for the gander…" A former One News journal- ist, Bedingfield spent a year in the European Parliament by taking up Muscat's seat when the Labour leader vacated it to take up his seat in the Maltese parliament. Gaffe-prone, Bedingfield last year was forced to apologise for a retweet in which it was suggested that Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' was more moderate than the Quran; and more recently, hitting out at Archbishop Charles Scicluna's take on the PM's New Year's message with a link to clerical paedophilia. tdiacono@mediatoday.com.mt Secure Investment Secure Investment Issue of Issue of €120,000,000 120,000,000 in in Fixed Rate Fixed Rate Malta Government Stocks Malta Government Stocks (subject to the over (subject to the over-allotment option up allotment option up to a maximum of to a maximum of €80,000,000) 0,000,000) MALTA GOVERNMENT MALTA GOVERNMENT STOCKS STOCKS TAL TAL-GVERN GVERN STOCK STOCK _______ _______ (i) 1.5 1.5% M % Malta alta Government overnment Stock tock (Fourth Fourth Issue) Issue) maturing in 20 maturing in 2022 at at €105.00 with a YTM of 105.00 with a YTM of 0.696% 0.696% (which corresponds to an (which corresponds to an annualised annualised rate of rate of 0.697%) 0.697%), and , and _______ (ii) 2. (ii) 2.5% M % Malta alta Government overnment Stock tock (First First Issue) Issue) maturing in 20 maturing in 2036 36 at at €101.50 with a YTM of 101.50 with a YTM of 2.408% 2.408% (which corresponds to an (which corresponds to an annualised annualised rate rate of of 2.422%) 2.422%), or , or Fixed Rate Malta Government Stocks The Accountant General announces that the price for each Fixed Rate Malta Government Stock offered for subscription by members of the public has been established as follows: Applications Applications open open on on Monday Monday 22 22 nd nd February February, 2016 2016 at at 8.30 30 a.m. and and close close on on the the time time and and dates dates as as hereunder, hereunder, or or earlier earlier at at the the discretion discretion of of the the Accountant Accountant General General: •at at 5.00 00 p.m. on on Wednesday Wednesday 24 24 th th February February 2016 2016 for for applications applications by by any any single single and/or and/or joint joint applicants applicants which which in in the the aggregate aggregate do do not not exceed exceed €100 100,000 000 per per person, person, and and •at at 12 12.00 00 (noon) (noon) on on Monday Monday 29 29 th th February February, 2016 2016 for for applications applications in in the the form form of of sealed sealed bids bids (auction) (auction). 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PM defends aide's poison-pen blogging Building the political deterrent: Glenn Bedingfield's poison-pen blogs have taken a leaf out of Daphne Caruana Galizia's blog