The Malta Gay Rights Movement has asked the Electoral Commission to reevaluate the candidacy of ABBA leader Ivan Grech Mintoff, as he has yet to pay libel dues he owes the organisation. 

Grech Mintoff insisted that, while he was unwilling to pay the fine himself, MGRM had stopped communication to facilitate the payment through third parties. 

In a legal letter to the chairman of the Electoral Commission, MGRM outlined how in 2015 they had sued Grech Mintoff for libel, with the case being decided in their favour in 2019. The judgement was confirmed on appeal in 2020, with the total amount payable by Grech Mintoff totalling €3,975.77. 

Since then, Grech Mintoff has not attempted to pay the amount, MGRM said. 

“Despite empty promises by Grech Mintoff that he would pay the owed amount, as well as further legal action instituted against him to secure payment (in turn incurring further costs for MGRM), Grech Mintoff has to date failed to pay the owed amount,” it said. 

“MGRM believes that any individual who is actively and maliciously defying court orders and refusing to pay up as ordered by the court should not remain unchecked and allowed to contest any public election.” 

MGRM is calling on the commission to “take all the necessary measures and action in its power” against Grech Mintoff and assess the eligibility of his candidature for the next general election, should it be submitted. 

‘I will never financially empower MGRM’ 

However, in comments to Times of Malta, Grech Mintoff said that MGRM’s letter was “grossly inaccurate” and “clearly meant to cause harm”, adding that the group had not responded to requests from third parties to pay the fine on his behalf. 

“As I have stated before,  I will not financially empower MGRM in any way and no matter the personal cost,” he said.

“I can confirm that third parties were willing to pay the fine so that we may move to the next step in this diabolical fight. Despite several requests for a reply from their lawyers, none has been forthcoming.”

Grech Mintoff said that he would be challenging the ruling in Constitutional court and was willing to take both MGRM and the government to European Courts “to win the battle”. 

“I am actually not in breach of any law and I can assure MGRM and their lawyers that this particular battle can only end when the truth wins and when the harm that MGRM's political agenda is causing is stopped and reversed fully."

MGRM's lawyers claimed that Grech Mintoff tried to bind MGRM not pursue further legal action before committing himself to settle the payment. 

"Mr Grech Mintoff’s position only continued to cement our belief that he was taking MGRM for a ride and his ‘promise’ to pay was another delaying tactic of his, and therefore there was no point in continuing our amicable efforts to receive payment," they said.

"We reiterate that Mr Grech Mintoff is the subject of a Court judgement ordering him to make payment, irrespective of whether this is forked out by him or other third parties, and that he is not in a position to negotiate or set conditions to make the payment he has been ordered to make."