The reform in media laws was not coming from Pyongyang, but a government that wanted to bolster press freedom, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said this evening.

He was speaking during a meeting with the Institute of Maltese Journalists, held to discuss the reform to the Press Act which proposes doing away with contentious criminal libel.

It also suggests a new requirement for websites to register in a media register set up by the government. Failure to do so will be subject to a fine of up to €41,000, with the requirement applying to “any new web-based service relating to news or current affairs that operates from Malta or in respect of which editorial decisions are taken in Malta”.

During the meeting, to which the press were only invited for the first 15 minutes, the IGM welcomed the overall spirit of the reform but voiced concerns over, among other things, the new registry.

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici assured that this was aimed at news websites, and said the government was open to defining this better in the proposed law.

Meanwhile, Mr Bartolo said the government wanted to instil a stronger sense of self-regulation in the journalistic profession, and referred to a suggestion for a press ombudsman.

The IGM called for a Q&A session to be held with journalists, as well as a series of follow-up meetings.