The power of the media to influence public discourse makes journalists an attractive target for illegitimate government control. Thomas Jefferson once famously remarked that if he had to choose between "a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, [he] should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."  The media's core role as a mechanism for government accountability and as a primary source of news and other information necessitates a light regulatory touch.

I was therefore astounded by a recent proposal by the Leader of the Opposition that licences should be introduced for journalists. This retrograde suggestion flies in the face of the belief that journalists should have increased protection against attacks on their profession and independence by governments and big businessmen.

The PN has been at the forefront of such calls for protection, not least through the introduction of greater anti-SLAPP legislation, so Alex Borg's bolt out of the blue was even less understandable.  Thank God, the Istitut tal-Ġurnalisti Maltin immediately rejected the proposal while Borg has now reframed it.

In modern democratic countries, it is not up to governments to decide who is and who is not a journalist.  By implication, there should be no formal, legal restrictions on who may practise journalism.  This right includes the right of journalists in the broad sense of the word not to join any association, syndicate, or union, and to be subject to any mandatory or compulsory conditions by their employers to join any such entities.

In fact, even when journalists advocate for greater protection and promotion of their rights through their own syndicates and unions, they steer away from suggestions that such organisations should act as gatekeepers for the profession. Rather, they see them as vehicles to advance freedom of expression as well as professional and ethical standards.

Despite law reforms in some countries in recent years, the legal framework for regulating journalists remains very problematical in some countries, including Malta.   This is due both to the profound changes that have taken place in media outlets and journalism, and rapid developments in information and communications technologies. 

In particular, many existing regulatory systems fail to provide for thousands of people now working for the broadcast media and digital media (be they bloggers, influencers, opinion-makers) who might not fit the traditional definition of a journalist.

Licensing journalists is illegitimate because it is susceptible to abuse and the power to distribute licences can become a political tool. While the purpose of licensing schemes is ostensibly to ensure that the task of informing the public is reserved for competent persons of high moral integrity, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, for example, has rejected this argument, noting that other, less restrictive means were available for enhancing the professionalism of journalists.

Some politicians, and surprisingly even some journalists, have called for the provision of public funding and other benefits to journalists' associations, syndicates, and/or unions, as well as to journalists and/or media outlets.  However, this poses a very serious risk of political interference.  I am somewhat sympathetic to their call, but such funding and benefits should be provided only where this is done in a manner that is protected against interference and that is fair, transparent and ensures accountability.

The pernicious control instincts of government lead me also to object to the current system of Access Cards by the Department of Information.  Instead, I believe that such cards should be monitored by the institute of Maltese journalists, or a body that is independent of government, and be administered in a manner that is fair and transparent.

Let me give an example:  the Department of Information currently requires any person requiring access to obtain a letter from his employer confirming his employment.  But the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) has held hat accreditation schemes which are biased against freelance or digital journalists are not legitimate.

All too often, we hear political party organs, or spokespersons, or political surrogates    ̶   including, unbelievably, journalists from the political media   ̶   question the credentials of other journalists when it is clear that their problem is their assessment of the substance of journalists' reporting, not their status.

A towering woman

Emma Bonino, one of the most influential voices in European public life over the last half-century, passed away on 11 September 2026 at the age of 78.  Her career spanned Italian and European politics for over four decades: from her early activism for civil rights and her battles for divorce and abortion rights in Italy in the 1970s, through her tenure as European Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs (ECHO), Health and Consumer Protection, her role as Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs and, later, as a tireless pro-European public voice. Across every stage, Bonino remained a tireless advocate for civil liberties, humanitarian action, and European integration.

The leader of the liberal More Europe party, Riccardo Magri, said of her on X that she was "always radically free. Her life was a long struggle against everything that denies freedoms: against clandestine abortion, world hunger, the stranglehold of party politics, female genital mutilation, punitive justice, genocide, and every form of authoritarianism." 

As a young adult, I became familiar with her politics from Italian TV.  What struck me immediately were her sharp wit and cutting insights.  I have followed her since 1976, when she was first elected to the Italian Parliament on behalf of the maverick Radical Party.  She soon unleashed her intellect and energy against the Catholic Church's extensive influence on Italian society, and this chimed with my own anti-clerical views in those days.  But she was also a feisty fighter in favour of civil libertarianism, feminism, and liberalism.

Bonino's passing follows the recent death of several other feminist heroes, including activist Gloria Steinem and poet Robin Morgan.  Modern societies owe much to these women.  Regrettably, many women in Malta do not even know their names. Our intellectual impoverishment is astounding.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said that "Emma Bonino has never waited for the world to be ready. She has always chosen to move forward, showing the way to others. The Europe she fought for will miss her."  As a Commissioner, Bonino forged the EU's consumer protection policy and created the European Commission Humanitarian Office, which is now the primary European humanitarian arm.

After her cancer diagnosis in 2015, Bonino invariably appeared in public wearing colourful headscarves, all the more to defy her illness. Who could have forecast that a woman who had spent her childhood tending to pigs on a farm   ̶   a lifestyle she described as "deadly boring" in a 2023 TV interview   ̶   would travel to several war zones and convince Europe that humanitarian assistance couldn't be an excuse for lack of political or military intervention?

Although Bonino was strongly in favour of peace, she did not subscribe to traditional, absolute pacifism. On the contrary, she was one the strongest advocates for a common European foreign and defence policy.  Her philosophy focused on "active non-violence" and the firm conviction that genuine peace cannot exist without justice, human rights, and the rule of law.  This too resounds with me.

Over the years, Bonino cultivated a deep friendship with the late Pope Francis, even though they had conflicting views on key ethical issues, including abortion and euthanasia.  In November 2024, Francis paid a home visit to Bonino   ̶   who had been just released from the hospital after treatment for respiratory problems   ̶   bringing her a bouquet of roses and chocolates.

Would that the thousands who pepper the social media in Malta with insults and offensive words against anyone who expresses a different view than theirs, take Emma and Francis as their examples.  Unfortunately, most would probably say, "Emma who?" or "You mean Francis, the one who loves immigrants?"

Well, yes.  Bonino was also in the forefront of the battle to prevent a Fortress Europe on immigration.  She, like me, was in favour of granting citizenship to immigrants, contrary to the prevailing winds in Italy   ̶   as in Malta    ̶   where migrants are increasingly the target of political vitriol and are blamed for everything that is wrong with our society.  Comments left on this newspaper's website and others' have often told the Pope to "take them [immigrants] with you to the Vatican"

Adieu, Emma.  The all-merciful God will surely remember your sensitive conscience.

Farming prospects

Farmers in Malta recently predicted a bleak future for their industry after months of dry and scorching weather.  Many crops like tomatoes and bell peppers were "burned" by the sun.  The heat and dry conditions also meant that farmers faced increased costs in adequately water their crops.  Livestock farmers had to install fans to keep their animals cool, which was still not enough to keep animals' mortality rate low.

Difficult weather conditions are obviously affecting food producers around the world, as they face unpredictable rainfall patterns and temperatures, a higher incidence of disasters such as drought, floods, outbreaks of pests and disease, and ocean acidification. With the long-term stability of our food system under threat, the relationship between climate change and farming has become a critical global concern.

Agricultural production in Malta hasn't died, but almost.  The industry's real output in 2015 prices has declined by 35% since 2018. Its role in the GDP is negligible, scarcely 0.5%.  Making money is almost impossible, since Malta has the most expensive farmland in the European Union, averaging €201,263 per hectare. Land scarcity and high acquisition expenses create severe financial barriers for new and established farmers trying to maintain or expand food production.

However, I believe agriculture can still survive, but only if farmers and the government invest to adopt the latest technology.  Other countries have performed miracles through such techniques as so-called precision farming, growing plants indoors using hydroponics or vertical racks to save space and use up to 95% less water, tissue culture farming, using gene editing or genetically modified crops to resist pests and tolerate harsh weather, and smart sensors to monitor soil moisture or track animal health in real time.

Investment is the key. 

Quote of the Week. "I have a big decision to make - will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before [...] or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again."  President Donals Trump, at the UN General Assembly in New York.