Waqt seduta tal-Parlament Ewropew, id-Deputata tal-Partit Laburista Cressida Galea tkellmet favur il-libertà tal-espressjoni u d-drittijiet tal-ġurnalisti fil-midja. Hi tennet li, bla dubju, il-libertà tal-espressjoni ma tistax tiġi żgurata mingħajr il-protezzjoni tal-ġurnalisti.
Galea qalet li, matul l-aħħar snin, kien hemm aktar diskors u attenzjoni għall-ħtieġa ta’ miżuri kontra l-proċeduri SLAPP, proċeduri kriminali li jgħabbu bi spejjeż enormi lill-ġurnalisti u lill-kmamar tal-aħbarijiet minħabba libelli anke f’ġurisdizzjonijiet oħrajn.
Hawnhekk ħadet l-opportunità ssemmi l-ħidma tal-Gvern Malti f’dan ir-rigward fl-aħħar snin u partikolarment fl-aħħar erba’ xhur.
“Through the media and the Defamation Act, the right to freedom of expression was streghtened. Amongst others criminal libel was abolished and other anti-slapp provisions were introduced which removed the possibility of defiling of provisionary against journalists and defiling of multiple law suits against the journalists on the same facts. We have tabled a new legislation in Parliament to further strengthen this pilar of democracy and these three bills were originally proposed by the commitment of experts on media.”
Id-Deputata tal-Gvern Malti spjegat li l-abbozzi ta’ liġi tfasslu fuq bażi ta’ 87% tar-rakkomandazzjonijiet li ressaq il-kumitat ta’ esperti li nħatar apposta biex jipproponi l-ogħla livell ta’ protezzjoni u ċertezza lill-ġurnalist fil-qadi ta’ dmirijietu.
Fost dawn il-liġijiet kien hemm l-kunċett li jekk ikun hemm reat fil-konfront ta’ ġurnalist minħabba xogħlu, ir-reat jitqies bħala wieħed aggravat u l-piena tiżdied.
Sadanittant Galea ħabbret li, fil-futur qrib, se jitressqu aktar abbozzi fil-Parlament biex ikomplu jiġu implimentati dawn il-liġijiet.
“Following the call by journalists as well as NGOs we have more consultation on such important legislation, the Maltese government exceeded to this request and reopened the consultation process to ensure broad views such as a white paper will also be issued in the coming weeks with revised media reform laws on which it will be holding another round of public consultation.”
