The Broadcasting Authority has pulled a political spot of the right-wing political group Imperium Europa after media concern.

The Authority had initially approved the spot, but in a statement this evening it said: "From a perusal of the statements being made on the media there is an evident association between the content of the spot and incitement to racial hatred.

"The Authority has decided to order the immediate withdrawal of this spot and ask Imperium Europa to substitute this spot with another one which does not create the concerns expressed in this statement."

Earlier, the government had also expressed its concerns over the spot, broadcast on PBS, which linked infectious diseases and criminality to irregular migrants.

The spot was prepared for the run up to the European Parliament elections. It claimed that illegal immigration had led to devaluation of property, criminality, infectious diseases, and squandering of taxes. It urged people to vote for Imperium Europa if they are against illegal immigration.

Election spots are vetted by the authority, which then instructs the Public Broadcasting Service to air them.

Times of Malta had sent several questions to the Authority about the legality of the spot and whether the message of intolerance towards a minority group and misinformation fell within its statement of safeguarding the public interest.

This evening the BA said:

"The Broadcasting Authority has become aware of the negative reaction on the public media to the spot produced by Imperium Ewropa and that it is now becoming evident that through an association of ideas the spot is creating a situation which could lead to incitement to racial hatred. This association of ideas was not initially manifest but has become apparent to the Authority in the light of the reaction on the public media.

"From a perusal of the statements being made on the media there is an evident association between the content of the spot and incitement to racial hatred.

The Authority has decided to order the immediate withdrawal of this spot and ask Imperium Ewropa to substitute this spot with another one which does not create the concerns expressed in this statement."

 

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