Mediatoday asks PM to confront unacceptable Steward request for journalist’s investigation

Mediatoday owner and director Saviour Balzan has penned an open letter calling on Prime Minister Robert Abela to make an unequivocal, public statement in favour of freedom of information and against a SLAPP threat from hospitals concessionaire Steward Health Care International.

The open letter comes in a reaction to SCHI’s purported letter to the government of Malta to investigate MaltaToday editor Matthew Vella over an allegation of ‘collusion’ with third-party financial investors who published information about SCHI’s ownership. It is copied to the ministers for justice, health, and home affairs.

“What is being asked of the Maltese government threatens our right to freedom of expression and impart ideas, and the right of the press to operate freely, without an form of apparent hindrance,” Balzan said.

“We expect the Goverment of Malta to make an unequivocal, public statement in favour of freedom of information, of the freedom of the press in Malta to continue with its work, and that it will not tolerate any threat of SLAPP action or prospective ‘investigation’ against Maltese journalists.

“Prime Minister: as the elected leader of an EU member state, we ask you to uphold the European values that inform the spirit of the EU’s current anti-SLAPP legislation and prevent Steward from leveraging its political influence to attack the free press.”

Balzan said that it was unheard of that a government is delegated the role to “investigate” a journalist, by a private company that is itself benefiting of millions in Maltese taxpayers’ funds to operate three state hospitals. “Needless to say the role of the independent media and of free-thinking journalists is to transmit news about matters of public concern,” Balzan said. “The operation of this particular company, whose operations are funded by millions in annual disbursements from the Maltese State, is a matter of public interest; added to it the allegations of past misconduct and corruption, and it falls upon the free press to reveal facts and evidence about what this healthcare concession is costing the taxpayer.”

European Parliament

European Parliament president Roberta Metsola decried the bullying tactics from Steward, saying they showed much more had to be done to protect journalists from further threats and systematic attacks. “Intimidating a journalist is unacceptable in a democratic country. We have a duty - both on a national and European level - to double our efforts in strengthening media freedom and make it impossible for those rich and powerful to kill journalists’ stories through SLAPP cases. Solidarity with Matthew Vella and all journalists subject to such intimidations.”

Nationalist MEP David Casa said that it is "unacceptable that private companies, more so when they are taxpayer-funded, attempt to silence journalists". He also called on Steward to immediately withdraw its request to have Vella investigated. "This strategy is clearly intended to have a chilling effect on journalists in the country, to stop them from their work in the public interest."

Repubblika reaction

Anti-corruption NGO Repubblika issued its own reaction to the news, condemning the bullying tactic from SCHI. “It is unacceptable that this company, which receives millions from the Maltese people, asks the government to investigate a journalist who carried out his duty to defend the interests of the Maltese people. Journalists are a shield against corruption and abuse... we expect the government to take a clear position against Steward International to condemn this request.”

Media freedom alert

The Daphne Foundation has also issued its own alert of a media threat and purported SLAPP threat to the Media Freedom Rapid Reponse.

The MFRR tracks, monitors and reacts to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries, and is organised by an alliance led by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) including ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), International Press Institute (IPI) and CCI/Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBC Transeuropa). The project is funded by the European Commission.

PEN Malta reaction

PEN Malta said SCHI’s request was not only dangerous but a perfect example of bullying. “Steward's accusation that Vella is working ‘in collusion with a short seller’ to drive down the company’s share price shows it is ignorant of the media's duty to probe the major players of our economy.”

IĠM reaction

IĠM condemned Steward Healthcare International’s decision to write to government and demand that Vella be investigated.  “IĠM maintains that reporting factually does not constitute a smear campaign. Reaching out to government and demanding a criminal investigation against a journalist is outright condemnable and represents a direct threat against the wider Maltese press.  Apart from extending solidarity, IĠM urges all journalists to call out any entities threatening them with SLAPP.”