John Dalli, who resigned from the European Commission under a cloud of corruption allegations, has threatened to sue a local newspaper for describing him as “disgraced”.

Mr Dalli wrote to MaltaToday to tell them that he would take them to court for “pinning the ‘disgraced’ tag” on him, the newspaper revealed on Wednesday. 

“I do not want one cent from you. But I want to hear you argue in court why I am disgraced,” MaltaToday reported Mr Dalli as writing in his letter.

The newspaper said that Mr Dalli had taken exception to being described as “disgraced” in an article about a Jerma Hotel property deal. According to MaltaToday, the deal is being fronted by a businessman who uses the financial advisory services of Mr Dalli’s daughter.

Former minister Mr Dalli served as EU Health Commissioner in the cabinet of José Manuel Barroso until 2012, when he resigned after an investigation by the EU’s anti-fraud office OLAF.

OLAF claimed that Mr Dalli must have known that one of his aides had sought a €50 million bribe from a Swedish tobacco manufacturer, saying “unambiguous circumstantial evidence” linked Mr Dalli to the incident.

He has consistently denied any knowledge of wrongdoing and said he was framed. 

In 2014, Mr Barroso said he would have sacked Mr Dalli had he not resigned voluntarily.

A European Court has dimissed Mr Dalli’s claim of unfair dismissal.