Ministers for Education and Culture, Evarist Bartolo and Owen Bonnici met with representatives at the Institute of Maltese Journalists to discuss the draft Media Defamation Bill presented in the past weeks.

Mr Bartolo said that the Bill is based upon three fundamental pillars: continuing to strengthen freedom of expression, a more responsible media and to spark discussion of self regulation within the media through the engagement of a press ombudsman or an independent office.

All of this would serve to ease the court’s burden, he added.

 Minister Bonnici said that the Bill does not only provide for legal remedy but it also allows for a strengthening in the quality of journalism. He added that the amendments strengthen freedom of expression such as the removal of criminal libel, more defences at the disposal of journalists through the introduction of ‘honest opinion’ and lastly the introduction of rights for those publishing scientific works.

The ministers invited the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) to pass on suggestions about this draft bill.

IGM President Karl Wright expressed his satisfaction with the draft bill due to clauses that he says the IGM proposed themselves. He commented that the clause necessitating news and current affairs websites operating from Malta to register with the government raised much discussion, but failed to say whether he was in favour or against, merely leaving his commentary neutral.