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IĠM calls out Paula Mifsud Bonnici for blocking camera during Prime Minister's speech
The incident happened toward the end of Robert Abela’s speech when he went slightly over time and had his microphone switched off by the Speaker • Paula Mifsud Bonnici has since apologised for her action
5 November 2025, 11:50am
Matthew Farrugia
Matthew Farrugia
2 min read
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Paula Mifsud Bonnici standing in front of the PBS camera towards the end of the session
Updated at 12:10pm with Paula Mifsud Bonnici apology
The Maltese Institute of Journalists (IĠM) has called out PN MP Paula Mifsud Bonnici for blocking a camera transmitting the Prime Minister’s budget replica.
The incident happened toward the end of Robert Abela’s speech when he went slightly over time and had his microphone switched off by the Speaker.
Mifsud Bonnici then stood up and blocked a PBS camera to prevent the live feed.
This led to the session being suspended for five minutes, after which Labour MP and Minister Byron Camilleri requested a ruling.
On Wednesday, the IĠM said that while it understands the PM’s speech stepped over the time limit, it felt that it must still call out the act of obstructing a live transmission and interfering in public broadcasting.
“Politics is a heated environment but there should be no room for this sort of behaviour in our country's highest institution.”
The IĠM said that the opposition should’ve contested the matter with the Speaker rather than obstruct a cameraperson from doing his work.
Apart from condemnation, Mifsud Bonnici’s stunt was also the target of mockery on social media, with one particular page comparing it to the image of the Tiananmen Square Tank Man image.
Paula Mifsud Bonnici apologises
Later on Wednesday, Mifsud Bonnici took to Facebook to explain that during the end of Tuesday's parliamentary session, she had asked the Speaker to raise a point of order about Abela's elapsed time limit, but she wasn't allowed to do so.
"I instinctively got up from my chair and stood in front of one of the cameras in parliament," she said.
"I understand that this wasn't the best way to get my message across, and with respect toward the highest institution in our country, I apologise."
Matthew Farrugia is a journalist at MaltaToday
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