A European Parliamentary resolution has just passed with an overwhelming majority, which includes a call for the introduction of a dedicated budget in support of independent investigative journalism, and also includes a call for a regular process of monitoring and dialogue involving all member states, in order to safeguard the EU's basic values of democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law.

The resolution was negotiated by Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola for the EPP Group. The draft version of the resolution which was previously reported on by The Malta Independent, read that the European Parliament "calls on the Commission to create a permanent financial support scheme including a dedicated budget... in support of independent investigative journalism." As for the process of monitoring and dialogue in order to safeguard the EU's basic values of democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law, the MEPs called for the involvement of the Council, the Commission and Parliament.

The resolution also acknowledges the crucial role that investigative journalists play as watchdogs for democracy and the rule of law, and "condemns insulting comments by EU politicians towards journalists." It  notes that the highest level of protection of investigative journalists and whistle-blowers is in the vital interests of society as a whole, and "encourages both the Commission and the member states to present legislative or non-legislative proposals for the protection of journalists in the EU who are regularly subject to lawsuits intended to censor their work or intimidate them, including pan-European anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) rules."

The resolution was mainly on the protection of investigative journalists in Europe, with a main focus on the case of Slovak journalist Jan Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová. It does however, have calls for actions of a wider scope.

PN MEPs Roberta Metsola and Francis Zammit Dimech have both spoken on the issue.

Roberta Metsola said that this resolution calls for concrete measures to protect media freedom and to address all the threats faced by our media houses, "be they threats to the livelihoods of journalists through SLAPP suits or threats to their physical security. We also want to create a system for our media houses to be able to access EU funding if necessary. We know the challenges faced and we want to do something about them.  Taking action, ending impunity, is how we can best honour the legacy of Daphne Carauan Galizia and Jan Kuciak. The Daphne Project sends the message to those seeking to uncover the truth and to those trying to bury it that no matter what the truth will come out."

PN MEP Francis Zammit Dimech, speaking in the European Parliament, said that "45 journalists from media organisations from all around the world are looking into the major stories which Daphne Caruana Galizia was working on. Revelations that are being made show in a clear way the reason why we need to protect investigative journalists like Daphne Caruana Galizia and Ján Kuciak. When Member States fail to do so, journalists are eliminated and citizens are deprived from information that is fundamental for them and for the future of their country. "

"It is investigative journalists and civil society organisations that need to continue to work so that the people will get to know all the truth. This is because in Malta, instead of having the police force seriously investigating who was behind the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, we have the government that continues to justify the use of SLAPP procedure through which companies like Henley and Partners and Pilatus Bank try to silence journalists."

"In the light of what happened to journalists like Daphne Caruana Galizia and Ján Kuciak, it is our duty in the European parliament to do all in our means to safeguard investigative journalism (which is built on the principles of freedom of expression) and for justice to be made with such journalists. In this regard it is crucial that all matters that were being investigated, continue to be investigated - as only in this way will the aim of those who wanted to bury not only the journalists, but also the information they were revealing, will not be reached."

The European Commission is currently looking into the question of EU competence and jurisdictional issues in relation to SLAPP lawsuits, they told The Malta Independent.

"Misuse of defamation laws to threaten journalists with lawsuits can be a threat to media freedom... As First Vice-President Timmermans said in the European Parliament recently: 'We are [...] studying the possibility to have [Anti-] SLAPP legislation proposed. We have to be careful because we are not sure at this stage what competences we have in this area [...]'"