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Alternattiva Demokratika to withdraw from local council elections
Head of the Public Services Godwin Grima will tonight meet Alternattiva Demokratika over the new directive, the green party has confirmed.
9 February 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
2 min read
Alternattiva Demokratika has announced its withdrawal from the local council elections unless the Office of the Prime Minister removes directive restrictions on public sector employees.
Alternattiva Demokratika has announced that it will not be contesting the local councils elections, unless the Office of the Prime Minister removes directive restrictions on public sector employees.
A directive issued last February by the OPM orders prospective election candidates working in the public sector to take special unpaid leave for 15 days if they are to contest local council elections.
In a statement, AD Chairperson Michael Briguglio said that it was "absurd" that the Office of the Prime Minister was "penalizing" local candidates by asking them to take special unpaid leave or leave for offering to give a voluntary service to their locality.
"This is obviously detrimental to all candidates who work in the public service, and especially to those who are coming from small parties or who are independent candidates," Briguglio said.
"We have no doubt that this is the true reason why this new directive was introduced less than a year ago and with restricted circulation. In fact we realised in the past few days that very few were aware of its existence."
"Because of these maneuvers to restrict participation of citizens in Malta's democratic process, AD - The Green Party will be withdrawing its 10 candidates from the forthcoming local council elections," Briguglio said.
He added that AD will rethink its position if the directive is revised so as not to "punish public service employees who choose to give a service to their locality".
Contacted by MaltaToday over the latest developments, AD spokesperson for Home Affairs Carmel Cacopardo confirmed that he had been contacted by the Office of the Prime Minister to meet and discuss the directive.
The meeting will be held tonight with the head of the Public Services, Godwin Grima.
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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We are going to miss Alernattiva Demokratika It's a pity they took this decision.
Igor P. Shuvalov •
It's a pity that the Alternattiva Demokratika took this decision as they have given in to the hidden hand that is doing its best to give a helping hand to that party which does not depend so much on candidates who are employed within the Civil Service, and probably who in one way or other would find a way to make good for the loss any of its candidates make by taking forced leave.
eleonoray86cws Ca?uana •
GonziPN introduced this absurd procedure to avoid losing votes to AD. Plain and simple.
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Sinjuri ta l-Alternattiva, Ikolli nghejd li hadd ma jimmisjakhom jekk tirtiraw mill l-elezzjonijiet tal kunsilli lokali. Forsi l-uniku pjacir li tkunu qeghedin taghmlu jekk tiehdu sehem, huwa lil partit Nazzjonalista, ghax huma dejjem uzawkhom bhala lummija.
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Tal-Alternattiva mid-dehra ma jafux x'eccitament hu li tiltaqa' mal-Kap tac-Civil, Dr Godwin Grima !!!!!
Aqta' kemm se jiehu decizjoni malajr !!! L-ewwel imur isaqsi lil dak li kien l-Azzjoni Kattolika mieghu x'ghandu jwiegeb u mbaghad wara gimgha, gimghatejn, tlieta jaqlaghha mill-istonku u jghid lil tal-Alternatiiva dak li jkun ordnalu gonzipn ta' zmien l-Azzjoni Kattolika !!!!! Hekk jimxu l-affarijiet f'Kastilja !!!!!!
