Francis Zammit Dimech says that the media in Malta is under threat because of political interference

“The recommendations of the report show that what was said by the Opposition and civil society in Malta on the erosion of the rule of law was entirely true.”

In his speech, MEP Francis Zammit Dimech said that the Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat took no action on the conclusions of the European Parliament's report on the rule of law in Malta. On the other hand, Zammit Dimech stressed that the Opposition in Malta as well as MEPs from the European Parliament - have already began to take concrete steps to support the conclusions of the report. One example is the bill that the Opposition presented in the Maltese Parliament to prevent companies or organizations from instituting legal cases against journalists in jurisdictions outside the European Union.

Francis Zammit Dimech recalled that when the Maltese Prime Minister was asked by journalists whether he will be supporting this law, the Prime Minister did not reply. Moreover, the Maltese Prime Minister said that he disregards MEPs but takes into account only the Prime Ministers. This was said by a former Member of the European Parliament. Zammit Dimech said that the lack of action by the Prime Minister says a lot.

He referred to the systematic attack on MEPs who cherish European values ​​and defend Maltese and Gozitan citizens. Among other things, descriptions such as 'traitors' to the Maltese European People's Party Group MEPs, and now even, Socialist MEP Ana Gomes - from the same political group of the Maltese Government - fell victim of these attacks - both her political group and from the Office of the Prime Minister in Malta.

Francis Zammit Dimech said that the recommendations of the report show that the media in Malta is under threat, not only because of SLAPP but also because of political interference. He added that the recommendations of the report show that what the Opposition and civil society in Malta said on the erosion of the rule of law in Malta, were all true.