Prime Minister to meet IGM on Thursday

Robert Abela will be meeting the Institute of Maltese Journalists’ top officials on Thursday after the latter called for the media reform Bills to be withdrawn.

The Prime Minister invited IGM President Matthew Xuereb and Secretary-general Kurt Sansone to discuss demands made in a letter to him earlier this week.

The IGM officials have threatened to withdraw from the government-appointed Experts Committee on media reform unless the government withdraws the Bills it tabled in parliament and opens them up to wide public consultation.

The Bills for the protection of journalists ignored or watered down the most salient proposals made by the Experts Committee.
The meeting was announced by IGM President Matthew Xuereb at the start of a consultation meeting with the Opposition in parliament on Wednesday.

Xuereb welcomed the Opposition’s commitment to consult with the sector prior to it presenting amendments to the government Bills.
“The IGM will continue to insist on the widest consultation possible to have the best possible laws,” Xuereb said.

Opposition leader Bernard Grech said the Opposition did not want to prolong the process indefinitely but felt that such laws should not pass before the sector was properly consulted.

He said the Opposition will hear what people in the sector have to say.

Grech was accompanied by MPs Karol Aquilina and Claudette Buttigieg, and Francis Zammit Dimech.

The meeting continued behind closed doors.