The Speaker of the House, Anġlu Farrugia, has cleared PN MP Albert Buttigieg of harassing a ONE News journalist who impeded his entry to Parliament while trying to ask him questions earlier this week.

On Monday afternoon, a journalist from ONE News attempted to ask questions to Opposition MP Albert Buttigieg just outside Parliament as the PN MP was making his way inside the building. Buttigieg visibly used his arm numerous times to nudge the journalist - who was physically obstructing his path - out of his way so that he may enter the building unimpeded. The following day, ONE News published this interaction online and captioned it that "Albert Buttigieg says he was harassed by a ONE News journalist."

Following this, the Opposition MP called for Speaker Farrugia to give a ruling on this incident.

Speaker Farrugia ruled that Buttigieg did not harass the journalist by nudging him out of his way as he was entering the Parliament building, nor vice-versa. Moreover, the Speaker said that according to the footage, it is "clear" that the journalist approached the parliamentarian and stuck very close to him while attempting to ask his questions.

The Speaker said that the journalist walked "very closely" beside Buttigieg till the building's entrance, though he did not follow him inside. He continued that Buttigieg visibly uses his arm to create space away from the journalist. Buttigieg claimed he was harassed.

Speaker Farrugia decided that while journalists reserve every right to question Members of Parliament, MPs have every right not to answer questions. He ruled that in this case, Buttigieg chose not to respond, and that after the journalist asked his question twice and more to no response, the journalist should have stopped following Buttigieg and repeating his question, "which he did not do."

"Certainly the journalist, after asking the question once, twice, should have desisted from continuing to follow the same MP and continue asking the same question, which he did not do," the Speaker ruled. Furthermore, he stated that both persons' behaviour should have stopped once Buttigieg clearly decided not to comment.

Speaker Farrugia called for the media to respect their designated areas in front of the Parliament building and to obey police instructions in this regard. He concluded that "in no way" may journalists obstruct MPs while entering or leaving the Parliament building.

The Speaker added that with this being an isolated incident, "the Chair does not see that there is a case of harassment as alleged by the Hon. Albert Buttigieg."