The Nationalist Party launched a public consultation on the protection of media and journalists, saying that government wants to forcefully approve laws in parliament without public consultation.

“Instead of listening to the Institute of Maltese Journalists Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, with the blessing of Prime Minister Robert Abela, published three draft laws in the Government Gazette yesterday, and proceeded to table them in parliament to be discussed next week,” the PN said in a statement on Tuesday.

PN spokesperson for Justice Karol Aquilina and PN spokesperson for Civil Liberties, Social Dialogue and Diabetes Claudette Buttigieg said that in light of the government's actions, the PN is launching a public consultation on the protection of the media and journalists, and the right to information in Malta.

The PN said that it will also be meeting with all those in the media sector, with the representatives of journalists as well as with journalists themselves and civil society in general.

The public consultation will lead to the PN presenting all necessary amendments in parliament so that the laws will begin to offer greater protection to the media and journalists, as well as strengthening the right to information.

It said that it will do this by listening and paying attention to proposals and suggestions that journalists and civil society members are already making.

The PN invites anyone who is interested to participate in the public consultation to send their comments and suggestions via email: [email protected] or by post to the address: Media Consultation - Dar Centrali PN, Triq Herbert Ganado, Tal-Pietà PTA 1450.