Democracy should not be minimised by giving space to “populist instigators”, Equality Junior Minister Rebecca Buttigieg said after the Broadcasting Authority fined a radio station for failing to give a platform to far-right Imperium Europa.
“The right to free expression must always be respected. But when this right is used to undermine the fundamental rights of others and spread hate speech, it is everyone's responsibility to ensure this dangerous narrative does not continue to spread,” she said.
“Let us not undermine democracy by giving space to those who represent populist instigation, which, apart from being dangerous, lacks basic facts,” the junior minister said on the BA's decision.
Buttigieg pointed out that she did not want to go into the legal merits of the case, but wanted to express her opinion nonetheless.
Imperium Europa's Norman Lowell, a Nazi sympathiser who was convicted of inciting racial hatred, filed a complaint with the BA over RTK's decision not to invite him on its radio programme during this European Parliament election campaign.
On Wednesday, the BA fined the radio station €4,660 for failing to invite Imperium candidates.
The decision has sparked a wave of protests, with RTK, PEN Malta and the Institute of Journalists among those describing it as dangerous.
When contacted, Broadcasting Minister Owen Bonnici was cautious in his reply:
“It has to be made clear that the Broadcasting Authority is an independent entity established by the constitution and acts autonomously from the government of the day,” a spokesperson for the minister said.
“Issues of legal interpretation of provisions which, directly or indirectly, impinge on editorial discretion always need to be tackled very delicately and in the light of the principles relative to freedom of expression - particularly when the medium is privately owned,” the ministry said.
The spokesperson said the case is still under judicial procedures, and the ministry will be in a better position to give its views when the case is closed.
'I fully support RTK's position' - shadow broadcasting minister
Shadow broadcasting minister Claudette Buttigieg said the BA’s decision completely breaches the principle of editorial freedom and she fully supported RTK's position.
“The BA should stop policing private stations and focus more on the public broadcaster,” the PN MP said.
The laws governing the BA should be revisited to reflect contemporary reality, she said, adding: “The concept of bias and balance should not outweigh the fundamental concept of liberty.”