The Labour Party has accused the Nationalist Party of trying to hinder the government's work by objecting to the way the national broadcaster reports government activity.
In a statement, Labour said the PN "has no idea" how the national broadcaster reports the news, arguing that PBS, like every public broadcaster, has a duty to report the executive functions of government.
The party said these functions are distinct from the work of political parties and include the launch of government policies, the inauguration of projects and the implementation of ministerial responsibilities by a democratically elected administration.
Labour insisted that reporting in TVM news bulletins is factual and non-partisan, adding that the broadcaster also reports reactions, criticism and proposals made by political parties.
The party said such political reactions are naturally less frequent than government activity, because ministers carry out executive functions on a daily basis.
Labour also referred to parliamentary replies from the period of the last Nationalist government, saying that the same pattern existed when the PN was in office.
It said that in 2012, then minister Dolores Cristina had confirmed in Parliament that over an eight-month period, TVM news had carried 121 comments by the then Prime Minister and ministers, compared with 28 comments by the Labour Party.
The party also referred to another parliamentary reply by former PN minister Louis Galea, saying that over a five-month period there had been 106 comments on TVM news, 96 of which included clips of the Prime Minister and ministers forming part of the PN administration.
Labour said that in another case, Galea had replied that it was not his role to keep track of the number of comments broadcast during TVM news bulletins.
The party accused the PN of now complaining because PBS workers are carrying out their duties "with the highest professionalism and seriousness" to ensure impartiality during TVM news.
Labour claimed that the PN's real concern is that people are becoming aware of measures being implemented by the current Labour administration.
It said the Opposition was using the same tactics it had used under different leaders over the years, accusing it of trying to stop the government from informing the public about Budget measures once they come into effect.
The statement said this was the PN's way of trying to win people's trust, but claimed that the party was acting as a "spoil-sport".
Labour also said that PN leader Alex Borg had broken his promise to adopt a new style of politics, adding that the Maltese and Gozitan people would continue to draw their own conclusions.