Updated 12.45pm, adds Graffitti statement

National Book Chairman Mark Camilleri has apologised for his "foul language" on social media and has had his calls to resign removed after a conversation with the education minister, he said. 

Camilleri had resisted the ministry's request for him to resign over a row with Juliette Galea, a lawyer for the businessman accused of conspiring to murder journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Galea had messaged him a link to an article about Yorgen Fenech's request for the public inquiry into the murder to be shut down. After a brief exchange in which she described him as "stupid", he told her to "kiss my glorious brown, Marxist ass."

Permanent Secretary Frank Fabri emailed Camilleri on Wednesday, telling him his comments were "not exemplary to the public and educational sector". 

In a tweet on Thursday, Camilleri said the calls for him to resign had been withdrawn after his apology.

"Greatly humbled and honoured by your overwhelming support," he said.

"I was in touch with Minister Justyne Caruana early this morning and I apologised for embarassing her with my foul language and she withdrew the call for my resignation."

The controversial message shared by Mark Camilleri with Juliette Galea. Slide to read it in full.

Camilleri said he would postpone the National Writers’ Congress meeting on Thursday so that local publishers and authors could decide for themselves whether they have faith in him.   

But he said he still intended to open call a congress to elect the head of the Book Council to settle the issue "once and for all". 

"I also have no doubt I would be ahead, given the support I received yesterday," he said.

The resignation call was criticised by civil society group Repubblika, who accused the Caruana of being behind the attempted dismissal and said they were amazed at the move, considering her history.

Caruana had to resign as minister last year over her estranged husband's holidays with Fenech. 

Her behaviour "raised suspicion" that after losing an ally in government, Fenech is once again "feeling comfortable" now that Caruana is again a minister.

Repubblika noted that this is not the first time that Camilleri had used colourful language and spoken in a way "not deemed worthy" of a public official. The government had in fact appointed Camilleri to his position because he was outspoken. But "all this changed" the moment he contradicted Prime Minister Robert Abela and said the inquiry should be allowed to continue.

The government, the group said, had never dismissed people like Jason Micallef, Glenn Bedingfield, Josef Caruana, Neville Gafà, Tony Zarb and many others who used offensive, insolent, bad and hurtful language against government critics.

It had defended their behaviour and said that even public officials enjoyed freedom of expression. It was clear that this was not the case for those who did not agree with the government, it said.

The government, Repubblika said, is saying Camilleri was being dismissed because he is giving a bad example. However, it had retained Keith Schembri, Konrad Mizzi, Chris Cardona, James Piscopo, Joseph Cuschieri and many others involved in "much more scandalous behaviour".

In a statement on Facebook later, Graffitti also expressed their support with Camilleri. They said Camilleri was asked to go not because of a sense of morality in the use of language discovered by Fabri but because he was "an uncomfortable voice" who said what he had to say without worrying about the embarrassment he could cause "the sacred cows of literature and politics".

It was ironic how the Labour government wanted to censor a man to whom it awarded Ġieħ ir-Repubblika for his fight against censorship, by using the morality card and censoring him for using colourful expressions.

If Fabri was for good behaviour by government personnel, he should immediately request the resignation of Alfred Grixti, who headed the Foundation for Social and Welfare Services, and frequently passed racist and sexist comments unhindered, as well as that of Mario Philip Azzopardi, who was homophobic with the Valletta archpriest and offended scores of people who had been "unfortunate enough" to work with him in theatre.

Graffitti encouraged authors and publishers who treasured freedom of expression to also express support with Camilleri.