Speaker deplores insults to MPs...

Mr Speaker Louis Galea yesterday deplored insults made by union leaders against MPs for the way they had gone about their duties in the House.

Reacting to a call made by Nationalist MP Robert Arrigo for the Chair to take action after MPs were called 'traitors' for the way they voted after the debate on the utility tariffs, Dr Galea said that while Mr Arrigo had not followed the procedure for this issue to be considered as a breach of privilege complaint, the Chair had taken cognizance of Mr Arrigo's remarks.

While leaders could not control everything that the crowd did, matters were different with regard to what the leaders themselves did when they addressed the crowd, Dr Galea said, and insults directed at MPs over the performance of their duties in the House were deplored.

...calls for just, correct reporting

Dr Galea also referred to the breach of privilege complaint raised by Labour MP Charles Mangion against the Nationalist Sunday newspaper Il-Mument and against NET News.

Dr Mangion had claimed that the newspaper and news bulletin had published and transmitted unfounded and slanderous allegations against him in trying to imply that he had sought to incite someone to attack GRTU Director-General Vince Farrugia.

The Speaker said that the remarks did not refer to speeches or acts Dr Mangion had made in the House and therefore the MP could not have any parliamentary privilege. The Chair decided that there was no prima facie breach of privilege.

Dr Galea appealed for just and correct reporting by the media.

Both media proprietors and those responsible for content had the duty to follow the principles of truth, correctness and justice.

Liberty, democracy and good governance demanded that politicians and people in authority are subject to scrutiny.

While the right of fair comment and criticism were fundamental in a democratic society, the media would be going against the national interest if it misinformed, invented and attributed unfounded ulterior motives to MPs.

He concluded that every time this happened, not only would an injustice be perpetrated against the MPs but there would be a threat against the values of legitimacy and credibility of institutions, including the media itself.