“You are seriously paranoid and need to see a psychiatrist” – Dr Joe Zammit Maempel to Saviour Balzan in court

Some of the truest words ever spoken in court were spoken yesterday, and not by a witness testifying under oath, but by a lawyer – one of the most polite and reserved people around – who, listening to Malta Today owner Saviour Balzan ranting and raving with his convoluted theories on the witness stand, told him in all seriousness: “You are truly paranoid. I think you should see a psychiatrist.”

It has been reported in the newspapers. I have long said the same thing myself. There is something very wrong with that man and the issues are quite obviously psychiatric.

He has very similar psychiatric issues to Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando’s. Those of the Law Commissioner, Franco Debono, are slightly different – they manifest themselves differently. None of them should be in public life. They are ill.

In Balzan’s case, he is actually causing serious damage to a newspaper/media business that is 50% owned by somebody else, Roger de Giorgio. Perhaps de Giorgio can afford to keep it afloat with shareholder loans made possible by a surfeit of cash generated through his nightclub business Gianpula and other sources, but it can’t go on forever.

Right now my main concern is the damage that Saviour Balzan is doing to the image of the No vote in spring hunting referendum campaign. He is a disaster for the campaign and his real interest has emerged already: hatred for the hunters rather than a passion for birds and conservation.