Momentum backs under-siege book publishers: 'This is not just another sector'
Party calls for a clear national strategy for publishers and direct dialogue with government
Momentum has called for immediate talks with Malta’s book publishers, a national strategy for the sector and sustainable funding mechanisms, after leading publishers warned of “existential threats” to the industry.
The party said public institutions must also be held accountable for failing to respond to repeated proposals from the publishing sector.
Publishers representing around 80% of Malta’s annual book production have said they will boycott the first Annual Book Conference, scheduled for May 8, dismissing it as a hollow PR exercise that fails to address the industry’s real problems.
The boycott was announced by BDL, Horizons, Kite Publishing, Merlin Publishers, Midsea Books and Klabb Kotba Maltin, who said years of proposals and lobbying had been ignored.
They said the sector had reached breaking point in 2024, when an industry report on its difficulties was met with silence from the National Heritage Ministry, the Education Ministry and the National Book Council.
Momentum said it stood in “full solidarity” with publishers and warned that the issue went beyond a dispute between a sector and the authorities.
“This is not a minor sectoral complaint. This is a clear warning that a cornerstone of Malta’s cultural and linguistic identity is under serious threat,” Momentum executive member Graziella Spiteri said.
She said publishing was not just another economic activity, but a key part of safeguarding the Maltese language, promoting national identity and sustaining cultural and intellectual life.
“When publishers say they have reached a breaking point after years of systemic neglect, the country must listen,” she said.
Momentum also criticised the two main political parties, saying it was “deeply ironic and unacceptable” that the publishing sector was being sidelined during an electoral campaign in which Labour and the Nationalist Party were making broad promises to voters.
“Fine words and electoral pledges mean nothing when, in practice, governments have failed to support one of the most important cultural industries in Malta,” Spiteri said.
The publishers have also accused the National Book Council of failing in its mandate and raised concerns over a book strategy led by KPMG, saying their contributions were left out of the consultation process and final report.
Momentum said Malta could not afford to neglect “the very sector that keeps its language alive”, adding that culture, education and language were not optional extras but the foundation of a healthy society.