The government's apparently inconsistent decisions concerning the current affairs programmes that will be allowed to air on TVM - including its rejection of a proposed programme by The Malta Independent - have attracted harsh criticism from one of its own: MP Marlene Farrugia.

The Malta Independent has reported how last July, it had been informed that its application for a TV programme was to be rejected because TVM will no longer broadcast current affairs programmes produced by newsrooms other than that of Public Broadcasting Services.

However, the programmes produced by The Times of Malta (TimesTalk) and by MediaToday (Reporter) have since been reconfirmed. Two other current affairs programmes, one produced by university lecturer Andrew Azzopardi and another produced in-house and presented by PBS journalists, were axed.

The decision does not appear to reflect viewership figures - according to the latest Broadcasting Authority Survey, Dr Azzopardi's programme attracted an audience of around 13,000, whereas Reporter attracted just 3,000 - and The Malta Independent has been unofficially informed that the final go-ahead for TVM's programming schedule is given by the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Malta Independent's article was picked up by Dr Farrugia, who questioned who Malta belonged to, as according to the Labour Party's electoral slogan, it was supposed to be "tagħna lkoll" (belonging to us all).

The outspoken MP even questioned whether the present government was acting worse than "the Nationalist Party at its worst" after less than two years in office, and insisted that the government should clarify matters.

Dr Farrugia insisted that the government should not be choosing what people should watch - or not watch - whilst claiming to champion civil rights.

"On what criteria have newsrooms and individuals been chosen over others? Politics? Loyalty to individuals," she asked.

"What is being placed above people's right to balanced national broadcasting?"