Updated: Gonzi ‘unjust’ in criticism of joint private members’ bill on divorce – IVA movement

The ‘yes for divorce’ movement has taken issue with criticism by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday night at the launch of the university’s Centre for Family Studies at Castille.

Gonzi criticised the private members’ bill presented last July by Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, and Tuesday’s joint bill presented with Labour MP Evarist Bartolo. ”I think that on a serious matter such as the family, legislative proposals warrant serious thought and research before one goes to parliament and debate them,” Gonzi said.

In a reaction, Moviment IVA said that lawyers had assisted the two MPs in drafting a new bill that proposes a responsible divorce law and strengthens the protection of children in divorce proceedings.

“The Prime Minister is right to say that laws on such sensitive matters should not be done only because other countries have a divorce law, but only when they are based on studies… we agree with such studies,” the movement said, referring to the Catholic church’s think-tank Discern’s study that claims over 35,000 people will experience marriage breakdown by 2015.

“We hope for a discussion  that will be calm and informed and those who criticise the amendments will have the decency to read them first, reflect on them, and then pass judgment.”

“The amendments remove the Maltese laws’ discriminatory recognition of divorces obtained in foreign courts, while Maltese citizens with no financial means are left unable to start a new life and remarry,” the movement said in a statement.

Moviment IVA said the two MPs’ bill was inspired by the Irish legislation – “the most conservative law in the world” – by allowing only formally separated couples who have lived apart for four years, to apply for divorce.

“Even those opposed to divorce, must show support to amendments that strengthen the rights of those worse affected by a divorce.”

(Updated 4:37pm)

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s defiance at the fact that divorce is available across the world, Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson accused Gonzi of adopting an “ostrich-like approach” and “burying his head in the sand from the reality of thousands of people.”

AD Chairperson Michael Briguglio said “it is very arrogant to assume that Malta knows better than all other countries in the world, and to date no other country has reversed its divorce legislation. It is clear more than ever that divorce is a political issue which can be solved through the vote.”

AD spokesperson for Civil Rights Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer added that AD is the only party with a clear position in favour of the introduction of divorce, “and it is for this reason that we form part of the YES movement.”

“The Prime Minister's statement has shown crass insensitivity and lack of compassion towards thousands of people who would like to re-constitute or regularise their family life,” AD concluded.

Pullicino Orlando stated this week that the Prime Minister was aware he would be moving amendments to the bill, although Gonzi was unaware of the joint bill.

Even former PN leader Eddie Fenech Adami has described as “unacceptable” the decision by Pullicino Orlando to present a private member’s bill on divorce without informing the Prime Minister beforehand.

“I could never accept something like what Pullicino Orlando did. When you are in a party... you cannot go behind everybody’s back, make a fait accompli of everything,and set the agenda. I think it was a big mistake on his part to do this without informing the Prime Minister,” Fenech Adami said.

In a scathing reaction, Evarist Bartolo said that Fenech Adami’s children had had the “luxury” of three marriage annulments granted to them by the Catholic Church.