Broadcasting Authority chairwoman Tanya Borg Cardona said yesterday that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had not yet contacted her, as the three-week crisis at the authority persists.

Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday wrote to the President of Malta calling for her immediate sacking in addition to the Nationalist Party which has insisted she should resign without further delay.

Tanya Borg Cardona

Earlier this week, Dr Muscat told Parliament the government had conveyed its “concern on the situation” at the BA to the board and called for discussions aimed at easing tension between the management and the employees.

Asked yesterday to state whether she had met the Prime Minster and whether she had offered her resignation, Ms Borg Cardona replied: "I did not have any communication with the Prime Minister during the last few weeks."

Questions sent to the Prime Minister’s office asking him to elaborate on his declarations in Parliament and say to who had he expressed his concerns were still not answered at the time of writing.

Times of Malta reported yesterday that apart from her role as chairwoman of the broadcasting watchdog, Ms Borg Cardona had also been recruited by the government on a position-of-trust basis.

In a press conference in front of the BA offices in Ħamrun, the PN’s spokesman on broadcasting, Clyde Puli, said that, in view of the latest developments, Ms Borg Cardona’s position had become untenable.

He said she could not occupy a government position of trust while also acting in an impartial role as chairwoman of the Broadcasting Authority.

Board members ‘were informed’ about position of trust

“The two positions cannot live together and she must go now,” Mr Puli said, declaring that the Opposition had lost all trust in her.

“If she doesn’t want to resign, then it is the Prime Minister who must recommend her sacking according to the provisions of the constitution,” Mr Puli said.

AD published a letter it sent to the President asking her to immediately sack Ms Borg Cardona if the report on this newspaper that she was given a position of trust by the government was confirmed.

Meanwhile, Ms Borg Cardona told Times of Malta yesterday she did not feel there was a conflict of interest between her constitutional role and the job she was doing for the government.

"My role within the EU presidency unit, which is on a fixed-term contract, is not deemed to be in conflict with my constitutional role as chairwoman of the BA,” she insisted. “I had informed the [BA] board about my role in February 2016," she said.

According to the code of ethics for BA board members, Ms Borg Cardona was duty bound to inform the board in writing about her position of trust with the government.

No replies were forthcoming when she was asked to give the date of the board meeting during which she informed the other members of her government job and submit a copy of the board meeting minutes and the letter submitted.

BA employees have accused her of bullying and insulting them, which she denies. Their union – UĦM Voice of the Workers – has also issued directives in connection with the dispute.

A petition was also presented to Dr Muscat about the matter.