17 banners stolen, Momentum condemns tactics to silence third parties
'Campaign may have concluded, but Momentum’s work has only just begun'
Condemning "tactics designed to silence third parties", Momentum said on Wednesday that 17 of its electoral campaign banners had been stolen.
Momentum said it had completed its post-election street clean-up, removing all campaign banners across the island within the seven-day timeframe stipulated by law.
The figure of 17 stolen banners excludes those removed by the Cleansing Department ahead of the electoral campaign and subsequently returned to the party.
"While the physical loss of these materials is a minor setback, Momentum views these thefts as symptomatic of a broader, systemic attempt to stifle third-party voices," the party said in a statement.
"Throughout the election period, the party faced multiple obstacles designed to limit its reach and protect the political duopoly. These challenges included a lack of fair representation during daily news broadcasts, which necessitated formal complaints to the Broadcasting Authority, as well as flagrant violations of social media advertising regulations by the main political parties."
Momentum's General Secretary Mark Camilleri Gambin said the theft of the banners is just one small piece of a much larger puzzle designed to maintain the status quo.
“Between these petty thefts, the uphill battle for fair broadcasting representation and the blatant disregard for social media advertising rules by the established parties, the playing field was far from level. However, they failed to silence us.
"We ran a strong campaign based on solid arguments and realistic ideas. Our commitment to delivering a just and beautiful Malta remains unshaken, and the momentum is only growing.”
The party thanked the public for its support, engagement and encouragement over the past weeks.
It added that the campaign may have concluded, but Momentum’s work has only just begun.