Reporting factually does not constitute a smear campaign, IĠM (Institute of Maltese Journalists) said following Steward Healthcare’s demands for MaltaToday editor Matthew Vella to be investigated after an article on the company was published.

IĠM warned that reaching out to the government to launch a criminal investigation is “outright condemnable” and represents a direct threat against the wider Maltese press.

Replying to press questions, Justice Minister Jonathan Attard also shot down Steward Healthcare’s demand to investigate MaltaToday’s editor as a “non-starter” and “unacceptable”.

Steward International, a company that runs three Malta state hospitals, called on authorities to investigate possible “collusion” after MaltaToday editor Matthew Vella wrote a report about the company’s ownership structure.

In a right of reply, Steward International accused Vella of running a smear campaign in collusion with a short seller over the article in question.

“This is a case of first-class bullying and an attack on the liberty of the Maltese press to report freely the critics of Steward. This is very worrying,” Vella said.

What do you make of Steward’s accusation?