The Institute of Maltese Journalists on Tuesday expressed its great concern following the publication of a story in the French media that Malta is one of seven EU countries that want to be able to spy on journalists under the guise of national security.

French reporting agency Disclose said a confidential memo indicated that Malta, France, Italy, Finland, Greece, Cyprus and Sweden are pushing for a new EU-wide media protection law – the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) - to retain a clause authorising the surveillance of journalists in the name of national security.

This position, if reflective of Malta’s true position, is highly disturbing, unacceptable and problematic on all grounds for the IGM, the institute said.

“We would therefore ask for the Maltese government’s official position on the matter. The EMFA seeks to protect journalists and media institutions, including by prohibiting government surveillance on them, their families and employees. However, this clause allows states to spy on journalists in exceptional circumstances, which are not defined and which could lead to abuse,” the IGM said.

We understand that a final decision on this will be taken on Friday, December 15 so the matter is of utmost urgency. We expect a response from the government at your earliest - before the Friday decision is taken, the IGM said.

In a separate statement, the Media Reform Initiative said it is appalled to see reports in the international press that the Maltese authorities are arguing the law should give them the power to spy on journalists. No democratic government should think in this way. "But especially a government of a state found responsible for the killing of a journalist," the statement said.

We support the call by the Istitut tal-Ġurnalisti Maltin to the government to explain itself and hope that the Maltese authorities can assure us it is not their policy that any law should allow them to spy on journalists.

After yesterday’s ruling of the Constitutional Court that admonished the government for restricting access to journalists, breaching the fundamental right to free expression, and using archaic regulations and a tyrannical policy of “l’etat c’est moi”, we would expect the Maltese government today to demonstrate a commitment to free speech and free journalism.

Journalists and their sources must be and must feel free of government oversight and control if they are to do the job they are required to do for a functioning democracy, the statement said.