According to the latest annual report of Mapping Media Freedom, Malta was classified among countries where press freedom is marked by persistent political, legal and economic pressures. The report also highlighted at least 13 press violations in 2025 that included threats and attacks against journalists including by politicians.
The report, covering the period from January to June 2025, is based on data collected through the Mapping Media Freedom platform and documents violations and threats affecting journalists and media organisations across the European Union and candidate countries.
While Malta did not feature among the countries with the highest number of recorded incidents, the report notes that journalists operating in the country continue to face challenges linked to strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), legal pressure, access to information issues, and political hostility. These concerns echo long-standing criticisms raised by international media freedom groups following the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017 and subsequent rule-of-law inquiries.
According to the MFRR, Malta remains vulnerable to forms of pressure that do not always manifest as physical attacks but instead operate through court actions, regulatory obstacles, and reputational campaigns aimed at discouraging investigative reporting. The report underlines that such “low-visibility” forms of interference can be just as damaging to independent journalism as overt violence.
The monitoring exercise also points to delays in the full implementation of reforms intended to strengthen media protection, including safeguards for journalists facing harassment and stronger mechanisms to prevent abusive litigation.
In addition, the report highlights the continued economic fragility of Malta’s independent media sector. Heavy dependence on advertising, limited market size, and close links between political and commercial interests are identified as structural factors that restrict editorial independence and long-term sustainability.
The MFRR initiative is coordinated by a consortium including the European Federation of Journalists, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, and the International Press Institute, and is co-funded by the European Commission.
Overall, the report presents Malta as a country that has made progress since the crisis years following 2017, but where unresolved legal, political and economic pressures continue to shape the media landscape. The findings suggest that sustained institutional reform and stronger protections remain necessary if Malta is to fully restore confidence in its commitment to press freedom and independent journalism.
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