A court has provisionally upheld a prohibitory injunction filed by the Nationalist Party (PN), ordering Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) to halt the broadcast of a political advertisement related to the Budget 2025, labeling it unconstitutional.
On Sunday, the government unveiled the theme for Budget 2025, with TVM airing a spot featuring Prime Minister Robert Abela. The Nationalist Party argued that the advertisement violated impartiality standards for public broadcasting, prompting PN Secretary General Michael Piccinino to request PBS cease broadcasting the advert.ย Judge Miriam Hayman, presiding over the case, directed the Broadcasting Authority (BA) to supervise PBS content and ensure it aligns with legal standards by avoiding partisan advertisements.
The injunction, signed by lawyer Paul Borg Olivier on behalf of the PN, reinforces a similar challenge raised by the party in February 2023, where PBS and the BA were found in breach of the constitution and the PN’s fundamental rights over previous budget-related ads. The PN has urged the Broadcasting Authority to fulfill its duty by actively monitoring and preventing partisan content on public platforms.
Legal proceedings in this case are scheduled to resume on the 6th of November.
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