PN slams ‘amateurish’ broadcasting watchdog chief

 The opposition welcomed the Broadcasting Authority chairperson Tanya Borg Cardona's withdrawal of a previous decision which the PN said denied it from its right of reply on national TV.

However, slamming Borg Cardona’s “withdrawal” as incompetent, PN secretary general Rosette Thake and MP Clyde Puli said
“in less than 48 hours, the Chairperson of the Broadcasting Authority made two U-turns to go down in history for the amateurish way decisions are being taken.”

Yesterday, the PN warned that it would sue the authority unless the decision to ban reference to ‘Panamagate’ on discussion programme Dissett was overturned.

The authority had at first granted the right to the PN to have its reply read out by Distett presenter and PBS news editor Reno Bugeja. 
However, the PN accused Borg Cardona of “unilaterally” deciding to block the party from exercising its right to reply to the claims made by energy and health minister Konrad Mizzi on the same programme on 2 March.

Thake and Puli added that only after the PN threatened to take the case to court was the original decision to allow the party to reply reinstated.

Accusing government of “constantly attempting to seize and weaken independent institutions,” the PN reiterated its proposal to have the broadcasting watchdog’s members approved by a two-thirds majority in parliament.