Malta media reform bill faces calls for transparent scrutiny

Malta's government plans to introduce a media reform bill in Parliament within the coming weeks, following a White Paper aimed at protecting journalists from disproportionate financial pressure through defamation and libel reforms.

Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) rapporteur Baroness Shami Chakrabarti has welcomed the initiative but emphasized that the legislation must undergo meaningful public scrutiny to address issues identified by the public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. She stressed that stakeholders must have sufficient time to analyze and comment on the bill's text before adoption.

In a joint communication, international press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the International Press Institute, also urged Prime Minister Robert Abela and Justice Minister Clifton Grima to allow for a transparent and consultative review. The groups requested that the government invite expert bodies, such as the OSCE and Council of Europe, to provide legal analyses of the draft text before it is submitted to Parliament.