WRITTEN QUESTION E-0278/02 by Luckas Vander Taelen (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Attack on journalists' freedom of speech in Malta.
Date: 2002-02-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Malta, accession criteria, accession to the European Union, broadcasting, democracy, freedom of the press, rule of law, supervisory body

C 277 E/28

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

Under the Union-Azerbaijan PCA, the Parliament also has a Parliamentary Cooperation Committee where
there will be opportunities to discuss the full range of political and economic matters.

Revisions to the law on the Media show the Government of Azerbaijan is taking steps to improve the
legislative climate.

It should be noted that human rights and democracy issues also addressed within the framework of the
Council of Europe which Azerbaijan joined in 2001.

(1) http://www.icrc.org/eng.

(2002/C 277 E/029)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0278/02

by Luckas Vander Taelen (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Attack on journalists’ freedom of speech in Malta

(8 February 2002)

Recent events in Malta are quite a preoccupying sign for journalists’ freedom of speech in this country. A
TV sports journalist was suspended by the Malta ‘Public Broadcasting Services’ and stopped from appearing
on state TV for one week because he had produced an investigative programme on the possibility of
corruption in Maltese football.

Even worse is the attitude of the Malta Labour Party (MLP) leadership that, after a vicious campaign against
the company ‘Where’s Everybody’ which produces three of the most popular programmes on national TV,
including one on how the EU institutions function, has now decided to boycott all ‘Where’s Everybody’s’
TV programmes and leading personalities.

Considering that
Government, such a boycott is a veritable attack on the basic norms of democracy and free speech.

the Maltese electorate, and is the alternative Malta

the MLP represents 46 % of

The MLP boycott, apart from showing a crass disrespect for people’s intelligence, effectively means that
independent journalists are now under threat by the Malta Labour Party for not towing its party line.

It is very unfortunate that the leadership of the MLP, the potential alternative government of Malta, seems
to want Malta to go back to the eighties, when political hatred was the order of the day.

With this background in mind, is the Commission bringing up this issue in its negotiations with the
Maltese government? What arguments does the Commission intend bringing up with the Maltese
authorities during negotiations in order to ensure the freedom of speech and the investigative liberty of
Maltese journalists, without any threats from the establishment or prospective Prime Ministers?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2002)

The Commission monitors the freedom of expression in Malta, like in all other candidate countries, as one
of the key political criteria for membership. In the 2001 Regular Report on Malta’s progress towards
accession (1), it stated that ‘the freedom of expression is enshrined in the Maltese constitution and continues
to be well respected in practice’.

Regarding the TV and radio journalists’ freedom of speech, Malta has an independent Broadcasting
Authority, whose members are appointed by the President of the Republic, following advice from the
Prime Minister and consultations with the leader of the opposition. The Broadcasting Act 1991, amended
in 2000, provides for the Broadcasting Authority’s powers, duties and financial resources.

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/29

According to the Maltese constitution and law, the Broadcasting Authority is responsible in particular for:

@ ensuring the preservation of due impartiality in respect of matters of political or industrial controversy

or relating to current public policy;

@ fairly apportioning broadcasting facilities and time between persons belonging to different political

parties;

@ selecting and appointing broadcasting licensees and contractors who will operate radio (at national

and community levels) and television services throughout Malta;

@ monitoring the performance of the stations in terms of Constitutional requirements, the provisions of

the law and of the relevant broadcasting licences and contracts;

@ monitoring compliance with the Maltese constitution and law and for imposing sanctions.

the Authority is competent

In view of the status, duties and independence of the Malta Broadcasting Authority, the Commission
believes that
to investigate and take appropriate actions regarding any
restriction of journalists’ freedom of speech. The Commission will continue to monitor that the Malta
Broadcasting Authority has the capacity to fulfil its tasks in accordance with the Maltese Constitution and
law.

The decision by the Malta Labour Party (MLP) to boycott ‘Where’s Everybody’ TV programmes is an
internal Maltese issue that should be considered in the context of the division between the two main
parties on the issue of accession to the Union. In relation to that, the Commission also noted with interest
that the MLP has agreed to appoint its own leader, as its representative at the Union Convention on the
future of Europe.

institutions, guaranteeing
The Commission remains confident
democracy and the rule of law. It will continue to monitor closely during the pre-accession period the
developments in this area and, if necessary, take appropriate measures to ensure that the freedom of
expression continues to be respected in Malta.

that Malta has achieved stability of

(1) COM(2001) 700 final.

(2002/C 277 E/030)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0284/02

by Eluned Morgan (PSE) to the Commission

(8 February 2002)

Subject: EU-funded projects in Israel

Could the Commission give an assessment of the damage inflicted by the Israeli army upon EU-funded
projects? What measures does the Commission intend to take as a result?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 2002)

The Commission, upon request of the Union Presidency, has compiled a preliminary list of Community-
funded (Commission and Member States) projects which have either been destroyed or damaged by Israeli
military forces. This is a tentative estimate and the assessment is ongoing.

infrastructure
The exercise has, for the time being, been limited to the replacement costs of physical
(construction and equipment), excluding indirect losses such as project delays or suspensions. The amount
indicated in the attached list is a conservative estimate and is likely to rise. Moreover, the list does not
make reference to a number of Community-funded projects which are unable to function properly due to
Israeli military actions, for instance access to the European hospital in Gaza or delays (as a result of
closures of access to raw materials) to infrastructure projects.