05/17 - 31May2017

Regolamenti li l-istazzjonijiet tax-xandir iridu jobdu matul il-ġurnata qabel l-elezzjoni u dakinhar tal-votazzjoni

Regulations to be observed by broadcasting stations during the day preceding the election and on the actual day of polling

6. (1) Matul il-jum qabel l-elezzjoni u dakinhar tal-votazzjoni (minn issa ‘l quddiem magħruf bħala “il-kampanja ta’ żmien is-skiet”), ma jista’ jsir ebda xorta ta’ xandir li b’xi mod jista’ jinfluwenza l-votanti.

6. (1) During the day preceding the election and on the actual day of polling during the election (hereinafter referred to as “the campaign silent period”), all forms of broadcasting which might influence voters shall be prohibited.

(2) Bla ebda preġudizzju għas-subartiklu (1) ta’ dan l-artiklu, matul il-kampanja ta’ żmien is-skiet ser jidħlu fis-seħħ dawn ir-regolamenti:

(2) Without prejudice to sub-article (1) of this article, during the campaign silent period the following rules shall apply:

(i) għandhom jiġu evitati sitwazzjonijiet minn stazzjonijiet tax-xandir li matul il-perjodu ta’ żmien is-skiet ikunu trasmessi programmi li jistgħu raġonevolment jiġu interpretati li qed jixxandru bil-ħsieb li jinfluwenzaw il-votanti;

(i) broadcasting stations shall avoid a situation where during the silent period they broadcast programmes which could be reasonably interpreted that they are broadcasting with a view to influence voters;

(ii) trid tieqaf kull xorta ta’ preżentazzjoni mix-xandir tal-partiti politiċi, kandidati, kunsilli lokali u ta’ movimenti u organizzazzjonijiet oħra li għandhom x’jaqsmu mal-elezzjoni;

(ii) all forms of presentation on the broadcasting media of political parties, candidates, local councils and other movements and organizations involved in the election shall cease;

(iii) l-istazzjonijiet tax-xandir ma jxandrux tagħrif, dikjarazzjonijiet, stqarrijiet tal-Gvern lill-istampa u lix-xandir, kif ukoll dawk tal-Oppożizzjoni, tal-kandidati, tal-politiċi, tal-partiti politiċi, ta’ kunsilli lokali u ta’ organizzazzjonijiet u movimenti li għandhom x’jaqsmu mal-elezzjoni, u kull xorta ta’ xandir ieħor li bil-miftuħ jew bil-moħbi għandu natura politika, għandu kontenut politiku jew li tista’ b’xi mod tinfluwenza d-deċiżjoni tal-votanti. Lanqas ma jistgħu jixxandru reklami informattivi mtella’ minn entitajiet pubbliċi, inkluż Public Service Announcements, sakemm dawn ma jkunux ta’ interess ġenerali u ta’ natura urġenti;

(iii) broadcasting stations shall not broadcast information, statements, press and media releases issued by the Government, the Opposition, candidates, politicians, political parties, local councils and other movements and organisations involved in the election, and other forms of broadcasting which are, openly or in a covert manner, of a political nature, have political content or which may influence the decisions of the voters. Nor may informative advertisements commissioned by public entities, including public service announcements be broadcast unless these are of public interest and of an urgent nature;

(iv) dan li ġej ma jistax isir:

- propaganda, 
- tagħrif li għandu x’jaqsam mal-kampanja elettorali, u
- avviżi maħsuba għall-preżentazzjoni ta’ programmi, logos, mottos u simboli ta’ partit politiku u ta’ kandidat/a; 
- avviżi dwar kif persuna tista’ tivvota;

(iv) the following shall be prohibited:

- agitation, 
- information related to an electoral campaign, and
- announcements designed for presentation of programmes, logos, mottos and symbols of a political party and a candidate;
- announcements on how a person can vote;

(v) ma tistax issir kull xorta ta’ preżentazzjoni fix-xandir li b’xi mod hi dwar il-kampanja elettorali (bħalma huma preżentazzjonijiet, propaganda politika, programmi ta’ diskussjoni, intervisti, eċċ.);

(vi) fir-rapporti dwar il-votazzjoni u attivitajiet oħra dwar l-elezzjonijiet, l-istazzjonijiet jitħallew ixandru bil-prudenza kollha tagħrif dwar fatti li jkollhom valur ta’ aħbar evidenti bħal ksur li seta’ sar fil-proċeduri tal-votazzjoni kif ukoll dwar xi inċidenti li jinqalgħu fil-post tal-votazzjoni jew barra u wkoll dikjarazzjonijiet uffiċjali dwar kif inhi sejra l-votazzjoni hekk kif dawn joħorġu minn ħin għal ieħor mill-Kummissjoni Elettorali basta li ma tkunx aħbar maħruġa mill-partiti politiċi jew mill-kandidati nfushom jew aħbar ipprovokata jew ġenerata mill-partiti politiċi jew mill-kandidati jew għall-gwadann politiku.

(3) Jistgħu jixxandru, dikjarazzjonijiet u stqarrijiet dwar xi inċidenti msemmija f’paragrafu (vi) ta’ subartiklu (2) ta’ dan l-artiklu li joħorġu matul il-kampanja ta’ żmien is-skiet, meta jkunu għalqu l-postijiet kollha tal-votazzjoni.

(4) Għall-għan ta’ dan l-artiklu:-

"propaganda" favur jew kontra, tfisser kull xorta ta’ preżentazzjoni ta’ xandir li għandha x’taqsam b’xi mod mal-kampanja elettorali. Propaganda tinkludi wkoll kull preżentazzjoni fuq il-mezzi kollha tax-xandir ta’ kandidati, simboli, sinjali u materjal propagandistiku ta’ partiti politiċi u movimenti u organizzazzjonijiet li għandhom x’jaqsmu mal-elezzjoni;

"tagħrif li għandu x’jaqsam ma’ kampanja elettorali" tfisser ġabriet ta’ aħbarijiet u programmi oħra li jagħtu:

"information related to an electoral campaign" means news reports and other programmes which present:

- tagħrif dwar kull xorta ta’ ħidma ta’ propaganda li saret qabel ma waslet biex tibda l-kampanja ta’ żmien is-skiet;

- information on any form of campaign activities that took place before the deadline for the start of the campaign silent period;

- dikjarazzjonijiet u stqarrijiet tal-partiti politiċi, kandidati, kunsilli lokali u organizzazzjonijiet u movimenti li għandhom x’jaqsmu mal-elezzjoni;

- statements and releases of political parties, candidates, local councils and other organisations and movements involved in the election;

- tagħrif dwar x’jagħmlu dawk li għandhom funzjoni fl-uffiċji tal-Gvern u l-uffiċjali li għandhom x’jaqsmu mal-kampanja tal-elezzjoni (ftuħ ta’ bini ġdid u affarijiet tal-infrastruttura, varar ta’ proġetti, riżultati u kisbiet, jew bħala rapporti f’xandiriet regolari jew speċjali, eċċ.);

- information on the activities of the holders of Government offices and officials related to the electoral campaign (opening of new buildings and infrastructure objects, promotion of projects, results and achievements, either in the form of reports in regular or special broadcasts, etc.);

"avviżi maħsuba biex jidhru fi programmi, logos, mottos u simboli/għeliem ta’ partit politiku, kandidat, movimenti u organizzazzjoni oħra li għandhom x’jaqsmu mal-elezzjoni” tfisser kull xorta ta’ propaganda politika (avviżi, stqarrijiet, reklamar politiku, recordings jew siltiet minn xi recordings ta’ ġemgħat ta’ nies u dehriet oħra fil-pubbliku ta’ dawk li qed jieħdu sehem fil-kampanja tal-elezzjoni).

"announcements designed for presentation of programmes, logos, mottos and symbols of a political party, candidate and other movements or organisations involved in the election” means all forms of political propaganda (announcements, releases, political advertisements, recordings or segments of recordings of rallies and other public appearances of the participants in the electoral campaign).

(5) Mingħajr preġudizzju għal dak li jingħad fis- subartikoli preċedenti ta’ dan l-artikolu, l-ebda stazzjon m’għandu jxandar materjal dwar l-elezzjoni matul il-perjodu ta’ żmien is-skiet. Dan japplika għal kull programm tat-televiżjoni u radju, inkluż l-aħbarijiet u japplika kemm għall-kontenut lokali u għall-kontenut barrani.

(5) Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of this article, no station may broadcast any material concerning the election during the silent period. This applies to all television and radio programmes, including news bulletins and applies both to local and foreign content.

(6) F’jum il-votazzjoni hu permess li jixxandar dan li ġej:

(6) On polling day it is permissible to broadcast only the following:

i) l-andament tal-votazzjoni, jiġifieri informazzjoni dwar kemm ivvutaw nies kif ikun ikkomunikat uffiċjalment mill-Kummissjoni Elettorali u informazzjoni dwar x’ikun qed jiġri fil-postijiet tal-votazzjoni;

i) the process of voting, that is, information about the number of persons who have cast their vote and information as to what is happening in the polling booths;

ii) kull meta jissemmew il-kandidati tal-elezzjoni, l-istazzjonijiet tal-partiti politiċi (NET TV, Radio 101, ONE Radio, u ONE) għandhom isemmu l-ewwel il-kandidati tal-partit rispettiv tagħhom, imbagħad jissemmew il-kumplament tal-kandidati skont il-polza tal-vot; u l-istazzjonijiet l-oħra kollha li jagħżlu li jsemmu l-kandidati tal-elezzjoni għandhom isemmuhom fl-ordni li jidhru fih fil-polza tal-vot;

ii) whenever election candidates are mentioned, stations owned by the political parties (NET TV, Radio 101, ONE Radio and ONE) shall first mention the candidates of their respective party and then they shall mention the rest of the candidates as they feature on the ballot paper; and all the other stations which opt to refer to election candidates shall mention them in the order as they appear on the ballot paper;

iii) jistgħu jidhru biss fuq l-istazzjonijiet ir-rappreżentanti tal-partiti segwenti: PL - Mexxej u żewġ Deputati Mexxejja; PN - Kap, u ż-żewġ Viċi Kapijiet; Alternattiva Demokratika – Chairperson u Deputat Chairperson, Partit Demokratiku – il-Kap u d-Deputat Kap, Moviment Patrijotti Maltin – Kap u Vici Kap, Alleanza Bidla – Kap u Viċi Kap. Dawn iridu jidhru biss deħlin jivvutaw u jixħtu l-vot. Bl-ebda mod m’għandhom jixxandru kummenti tagħhom fuq il-mezzi tax-xandir sal-għeluq tal-votazzjoni. Lanqas ma jista’ jixxandar rappurtaġġ b’mod indirett ta’ x’qalu l-mexxejja, kandidati jew uffiċjali oħra tal-partiti;

iii) only the following party representatives may appear on broadcasting stations: PL – Leader and both Deputy Leaders; PN – Leader, both Vice Leaders; Alternattiva Demokratika – Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson; Partit Demokratiku – Leader and Deputy Leader, Moviment Partijotti Maltin – Leader and Deputy Leader; Alleanza Bidla – Leader and Vice Leader. They should only be shown entering the polling booths and casting their vote. No comments of such persons may be broadcast on the broadcasting media up till the closure of the polling stations. Neither can stations broadcast in an indirect manner the statements made by party leaders, candidates and other party officials;

iv) L-istazzjonijiet ma jistgħux ixandru jew jirreplikaw aħbarijiet/stqarrijiet li jkunu qed jidhru fuq siti elettroniċi li fin-natura tagħhom jitqiesu li jiksru l-provvedimenti marbuta mal-ġranet tas-silenzju.

iv) Stations cannot broadcast or replicate news items/statements featured on electronic sites which by their very nature would be considered to be in breach of the provisions relating to the campaign silent period.

v) L-istazzjonijiet ma jistgħu jwasslu l-ebda messaġġ li jista’ jwassal biex jinfluwenza il-votant. Barra minn hekk m’għandhom lanqas iħeġġu lin-nies biex imorru jivvutaw jew biex ma jmorrux jivvutaw.

v) stations cannot air any message intended to influence voters. Moreover, they shall not encourage people to vote or not to vote.