PN MP Clyde Puli lashed out at the Broadcasting Authority Chairperson today, arguing that while the chairperson Tanya Borg Cardona is meant to perform her duty impartially, she was also granted a government position of trust.
Recently, BA employees launched an industrial action “stopping the Broadcasting authority from fulfilling its main function.”
“This is a constitutional crisis,” he said, “steps need to be taken to address the crisis, whilst political responsibility needs to be shouldered. “
Mr Puli also referred to the situation reported throughout the past weeks by The Malta Independent, where recently appointed Chairperson of the Broadcasting Authority Tanya Borg Cardona was reportedly bullying her employees.
Last week employees took to the Parliament building to take industrial action against the Chairperson. Mr Puli claimed that tensions increased when, without anyone’s knowledge, the decision was taken to transfer the Broadcasting Authority to Valletta, so that the Hamrun offices could be used by the Economy Ministry.
He said the situation began “when Prime Minister Joseph Muscat appointed a person who is incompetent in the field to run one of the most important institutions for democracy in our country”.
“The Broadcasting Authority can never be impartial when the Chairperson is in a Government Position of Trust,” he said.
He pointed out that in the months leading up to the elections, the role of the Broadcasting Authority becomes more crucial, and “therefore the Prime Minister has to act quickly so that the situation will get back to normal”.
Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil recently stated that if he is to be elected, appointments of specific positions, such as that of the Chairperson of the Broadcasting Authority will be decided by a majority of two thirds of Parliament, whilst the Broadcasting Authority will be revised to decrease from the influences of political parties as much as possible.
Earlier, the Alternattive Demokratika sent a letter to President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, alleging a breach of the Constitution with regard to BA Chairperson Tanya Borg Cardona's appointment.
AD made reference to an article recently published by the Times of Malta, which read that Tanya Borg Cardona was employed in February last year through a government contract to work within the unit handling Malta's presidency of the EU, falling under Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech.
"The Constitution states that members of the Authority cannot be public officials, as is allegedly the situation with Ms Borg Cardona and the ministry in question."
"As the guardian of the Constitution, we ask you to remove Ms Tanya Borg Cardona from her position if the allegations made in the respective article are true."