The final stages of the World Cup are undoubtedly the most widely viewed sporting events worldwide. The Maltese have never let the limitations of their national team keep them back from enjoying this festival of football with all the associated competitiveness and drama.

Most of us have a favourite team who we will be wholeheartedly supporting this coming June – but the majority side with either England or Italy. This is a Maltese phenomenon that is to a large extent attributable to the political situation of the early 20th century. This means that the link between the Maltese and these particular teams predates the Second World War.

The news that an operator in the local broadcasting scene has bought the exclusive rights to this festival of football and only intends to relinquish these rights, against payment, for five matches, is disappointing to the majority of local World Cup enthusiasts.

I use the term “World Cup enthusiasts” and not “football enthusiasts” for a specific reason. Many are drawn to World Cup games, even though they normally couldn’t be bothered with football. The World Cup draws people together in a way few international events do. Many meet up with family members or friends they have not seen in ages – to support their favourite side.

This opportunity will now only be available to the Premium cable television subscribers! One may argue that anyone can become a Premium subscriber against payment. Many cannot afford to do so. Many choose to avail themselves of satellite TV, rather than cable – and it is their right to do so.

I intend to take this matter up in Parliament and, if necessary, in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Local and European legislation prohibits this kind of exclusivity.

The World Cup is mentioned specifically in the EU “Television without Frontiers” Directive that states that “Member states may draw up a list of events which must be broadcast unencrypted, even if exclusive rights have been bought by pay television stations.”

All the games of the final stages of the World Cup are in the list that was drawn up by the Broadcasting Authority (Malta) in conformity with the Broadcasting Regulations, published in Legal Notice 158 of 2000. In the European Convention on Trans-frontier Television – which all the member States of the Council of Europe are signatory to – Article 9 states as follows: “Each party retains the right to take measures to ensure that a broadcaster within its jurisdiction does not broadcast on an exclusive basis, events which are regarded by that party as being of major importance for society, in such a way as to deprive a substantial proportion of the public in that party the possibility of following such events by live or deferred coverage on free television.”

I consider 90 per cent of Maltese households to be a substantial proportion of the public!

The Maltese public has a right to more liberal access to this popular event. I will use the situation in neighbouring Italy to highlight the disadvantages faced by local enthusiasts. It is pertinent to note that RAI will be transmitting one match per day throughout the final stages of the World Cup.

This means that the Italians will have access to 25 matches free of charge, including all the matches involving the Italian national team.

This notwithstanding, the agreement reached between Sky Italia and FIFA, which is practically identical to that finalised with the local pay-tv operator. The most the Maltese can expect – as things stand – is access to five games – none of which may involve their favourite team!

This anomaly should be rectified as soon as possible.

The enjoyment of Germany 2006 should not be limited to the select few.

Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orland MP (PN) has been a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of The Council of Europe since 1998, the head of the Maltese delegation to the Assembly since 2003 and was the vice-president of the assembly for the past two years.