Labour MEP Edward Scicluna yesterday asked European Parliament president Jerzey Buzek to protect his democratic rights as a European citizen and an elected MEP.

He made the plea during a plenary session in Strasbourg after the Broadcasting Authority last month fined his television programme's broadcaster, Smash TV, €1,164 for breaching Maltese broadcasting laws due to political impartiality.

Prof. Scicluna hosts a programme called L-MEP U Int (The MEP and you) every Friday on Smash TV.

Describing the authority's action as "censorship", Prof. Scicluna urged the EP to defend his right to freedom of speech arguing that as MEP it was his duty to inform his constituents about his parliamentary work.

"I have been accused on three occasions of breaking the law and the television station has been fined for screening my reports from the European Parliament," Prof Scicluna complained.

The ridiculous charge of bringing about an imbalance in his own programme was itself just that, he said. "However, lurking behind this decision is the mistaken idea that balance is sought not through pluralism, and the encouragement of people of different political shades to come forward and give their diverse opinions, but to stifle those who dare to do so," he charged.

When contacted, an authority spokesman said it had no comment to make at this stage but it would respond to Prof. Scicluna's speech in the appropriate time.

The EU has no competence over the regulation of television content in Malta.