The Broadcasting Authority has written to the European Parliament to defend its fine to Smash Television for the programme l-MEP u Int.

The programme, the authority said, was broadcast during airtime procured from the broadcaster by the producer or by Prof. Scicluna himself.

It includes an interview with Professor Scicluna, who is the sole guest in the programme.

Prof. Scicluna earlier this month requested the European Parliament’s protection to defend his right to freedom of speech.

Prof. Scicluna told the plenary that he had been accused, on three occasions of breaking, the law, and a television station was fined for screening his reports from the EP.

In a statement this morning, the BA denied it object to Prof. Scicluna’s informing his constituents of his parliamentary work through the use of the medi’ or that it had restricted his right to comment on matters of local political controversy.

However, in the course of at least three editions of the programme, Prof. Scicluna commented on matters which were of high local political controversy without in any way featuring or reflecting different views and perspectives on these matters, not necessarily those of government but also of the other parties, public and private, involved in these issues.

The authority, which regulates broadcasting content in Malta, told the EP it concluded that this constituted a breach of the relevant provisions of the Broadcasting Act and of the Constitution of Malta.