Politicians should display a greater degree of tolerance once they were public figures and their “every word and deed” was open to close scrutiny by both journalists and the public, a magistrate said today.

He made the statement in a judgement which found that comments made against Transport Minister Joe Mizzi were not libellous.

Mr Mizzi had filed a libel suit against Alleanza Liberali leader John Zammit in January 2011, when he was opposition whip, for defamatory allegations on a website.

Magistrate Francesco Depasquale said there was no evidence to suggest that it was the accused who had written the comments.

The magistrate underlined that “it is clear from the Court’s case-law that the right to freedom of expression is applicable not only to information or ideas that are favourably received or regarded as inoffensive or as a matter of indifference, but also to those that offend, shock or disturb the State or any sector of the population”.

He said that everyone should have the right to express their opinion about the behaviour of politicians without the fear of being faced with libel proceedings.