It is truly concerning that, on the anniversary of the violent attacks on the building and workers of the Times of Malta and on the home and family of the then Leader of the Opposition, the party in government continues to confirm that it has learnt nothing from these horrific experiences, in which it was a key player, the Nationalist Party said in a statement Tuesday.

The PN said it is seriously concerned by the attitude of the Labour Government, which wants to turn back the clock, curtail freedoms, and reduce the rights of Maltese and Gozitan citizens. Among other things, during the First National Forum on Media, Information, and Democracy, Minister for Justice Jonathan Attard clearly stated that the Labour Government intends to reintroduce criminal libel, so that journalists and anyone who expresses themselves can be sent to prison.

It is evident that the Labour Government wants to reintroduce fear among journalists and the public, with the threat of imprisonment for those who dare to speak out, the PN said.

The Labour Government has also learned nothing from the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, as it continues to drag its feet in implementing the recommendations of the public inquiry, which found it guilty of creating an atmosphere of impunity that led to the murder.

It is also concerning that the Government has still not published the White Paper on the necessary reforms to the media and information laws in our country, despite having promised it more than a year ago, the PN said.

The Partit Nazzjonalista "remembers and thanks" the workers of the Times of Malta who, 45 years ago, on 15 October 1979, were attacked, and their workplace was destroyed and burnt during a night of violence by Labour Party criminals. Despite being near the Prime Minister's Office, the Times of Malta building, its workers, and journalists found no law enforcement present to protect them.

The PN also recalled that on that same night, the home of the then Leader of the Opposition Eddie Fenech Adami, was attacked and ransacked, while his family was terrorised by a gang of Labour Party criminals who enjoyed full impunity and were allowed to do as they pleased.

"We encourage journalists and everyone working in the media sector in our country not to lose heart and to continue asking difficult questions, investigating, and bringing information and truth to the Maltese and Gozitan people. The PN said it is committed to ensuring that the Labour Government does not take us back 45 years and is determined to give our people a truly democratic country where everyone can express themselves without fear or threat."

The statement was signed by, Karol Aquilina, Shadow Minister for Justice and Claudette Buttigieg, Shadow Minister for Public Administration, Public Broadcasting, and the Fight Against Diabetes.

PL statement

The Nationalist Party is comfortable being reigned by a culture of fake news and breaking people and families up with false allegations, the Labour Party said in response.

The PL remarked that its appeal has always been in favour of the responsible use of freedom of expression and said that Opposition Leader Bernard Grech is comfortably riding on fake news.

The biggest example of fake news, the PL commented, is the PN's "blatant lie" of saying that Justice Minister Jonathan Attard had said that "the Labour Government wants to reintroduce criminal libel so that journalists and everyone who expresses themselves can be sent to prison".

It was only a Labour government that removed the criminal libel, the PL said, as it remarked that the PN "was comfortable leaving it for a quarter of a century when it was in government". The PL added that the PN has repeatedly stifled civil liberties with its actions and its votes taken in Parliament.

It continued that the PL in government was, along with being at the forefront of the discussion on the Anti-Slapp directive, the first government of an EU member state to introduce the directive into the country's laws.

The PL continued that its commitment was also reflected in three draft laws that continue to strengthen the protection of journalists which were presented in Parliament at the beginning of this legislature "but did not move forward on the premise that there were those who wanted to continue discussing".

It concluded by remarking that the PN has confirmed that PN MP Karol Aquilina is dictating Grech's extremist message.