Kurt Buhagiar, a sheep farmer hailing from Mosta, has taken legal action against Nationalist Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Peter Agius, alleging libel and defamation.
The lawsuit, officially lodged today in the Court of Magistrates, signed by lawyers Dr. Arthur Azzopardi and Nicole Vassallo, revolves around Agius’s public accusations concerning the purported misappropriation of EU agricultural subsidies.
Kurt Buhagiar
Buhagiar, the proprietor of the Għajn Rihana sheep farm, asserts that Agius disseminated erroneous and damaging statements during his electoral campaign and subsequent months.
These claims, disseminated through various social media platforms, videos, and interviews, insinuated that Buhagiar illicitly diverted €360,000 in EU funding, designated for farm enhancements, towards the construction of a residential property.
This legal recourse follows a recent inquiry by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), which was concluded just over a week ago.
Initiated in response to Agius’s assertions, the OLAF investigation yielded no substantiation of fraudulent activities or irregularities affecting the financial interests of the European Union. The inquiry specifically scrutinized projects supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, with a particular focus on those linked to Buhagiar.
In his legal claim, Buhagiar is pursuing restitution for both moral and tangible damages pursuant to Article 9 of Chapter 579 of the Laws of Malta. He contends that Agius’s unfounded allegations have inflicted substantial harm on his reputation and disrupted his commercial undertakings.