AD to MPs: “Approve divorce or resign”
In a press conference held in Valletta during the ‘Sette Giugno’ celebrations, AD said that members of parliament who do not approve the divorce referendum result should resign.
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said that “the issue is simple. Over 53% of voters want the introduction of divorce in Malta. Parliamentarians, who did not have the courage to take a decision on divorce and shifted the responsibility onto the people through a referendum, should stand by the result of the referendum. Those who are not ready to vote in favour should resign. Any manoeuvring is simply unacceptable. Alternattiva Demokratika will be carefully analysing the situation and will make sure that parliamentarians do not take the Maltese electorate for a ride. It is shameful that the whole place was barricaded by police thus keeping common people far away from members of parliament, beyond view.”
David Friggieri, AD Spokesperson for Justice and Home Affairs said that “what we are witnessing is nothing less than a constitutional crisis. It is unacceptable in a democracy for members of parliament to simply brush off journalists’ questions about their voting intentions. It is equally unacceptable for them to simply refer the population to their conscience as this creates an irresolvable tension between the democratic process and faith-based reasons which can never be solved through dialogue, an essential component of modern democracies. For these MPs, faith will always trump any other considerations, including a clear referendum vote, thereby undermining the democratic process itself. Furthermore, some MPs, including the Prime Minister, are engaging in “mathematical democracy”: on the one hand assuring us that the bill will pass because the numbers add up, while on the other being evasive about their individual voting intentions. Our democratic processes mustn’t be undermined in this way and AD is calling for the people to stand up for their democracy.”
Prof. Arnold Cassola, AD Spokesperson on EU and International Affairs, said that tThe behaviour of Maltese parliamentarians is unacceptable by EU standards, which require full transparency and openness from the elected representatives of the people. The Coalition of confessional parliamentarians from PN and PL had already abdicated their responsibilities when they refused to legislate on divorce and shifted the onus onto the people. Now that the people have spoken clearly and decided, this irresponsible coalition is trying to deny the people their legitimate rights. Let us not let them succeed in their effort, which goes against the basic tenets of democracy. The will of the people must prevail and any MP who has conscience problems has an honourable way out: that of resigning immediately”.
AD lill-Membri tal-Parlament: “Aghddu d-divorzju jew irrizenjaw”
Waqt konferenza stampa li saret il-Belt waqt ic-celebrazzjonijiet tas-‘Sette Giugno’, l-AD qalet li l-membri parlamentari li ma jonorawx ir-rizultat tar-referendu ghandhom jirrizenjaw”.
Michael Briguglio, ic-Chairperson tal-AD, qal li “il-kwistjoni hija semplici. Aktar minn 53% tal-votanti jridu l-introduzzjoni tad-divorzju f’Malta. Membri parlamentari li ma kellhomx il-kuragg li jiehdu decizjoni dwar id-divorzju u ghaddew ir-responsabbilta fuq il-poplu permezz ta’ referendu, issa ghandhom jonoraw ir-rizultat tar-referendu. Dawk li mhux lesti li jivvutaw favur ghandhom jirrizenjaw. Dan l-immanuvrar li qed isir mhux accettabbli. L-Alternattiva Demokratika ser tkun qed tanalizza s-sitwazzjoni u tara li l-membri parlamentari ma jghaddux lill-elettorat Malti biz-zmien. Hija tal-misthija li l-post kollu kien inblokkat mill-puluzija biex ic-cittadini komuni jibqghu il-boghod mill-Membri Parlamentari, li ma jidhrux.”
David Friggieri, Kelliem tal-AD ghall-Gustizzja u l-Intern qal li “dak li qed naraw bhalissa m’hu xejn hlief krizi kostituzzjonali. F’demokrazija mhux accettabbli li membri parlamentari ifarfru milli jirrispondu mistoqsijiet tal-gurnalisti dwar kif bihsiebhom jivvutaw. Huwa daqstant iehor inaccettabbli li jibqghu jaghmlu referenzi ghall-kuxjenza ghaliex dan qed johloq tenzjoni irreparabbli bejn il-process demokratiku u ragunijiet ibbazati fuq il-fidi li ma jistghux jissolvew permezz ta’ djalogu, fattur essenzjali f’kull demokrazija moderna. Ghal dawn il-membri parlamentari, il-kuxjenza dejjem ser tigi l-ewwel quddiem kwalunkwe konsiderazzjoni, inkluz vot car mill-poplu f’referendu. B’hekk dawn qed jimminaw il-process demokratiku innifsu. Barra minn hekk, certi membri parlamentari, inkluz il-Prim Ministru, qed jipprattikaw “demokrazija tan-numri”: min-naha qed jaccertawna li l-ligi ser tghaddi skont il-kalkoli li saru, filwaqt li qed jevitaw li jghidulna kif ser jivvutaw individwalment. Il-process demokratiku taghna m’ghandux jigi mxekkel b’dan il-mod u ghalhekk l-AD qed theggeg lin-nies biex jaraw li d-demokrazija taghhom tigi mharsa.”
Il-Professur Arnold Cassola, Kelliem tal-AD ghall-Affarijiet Ewropej u Internazzonali, qal li “l-imgiba tal-parlamentari Maltin hija inaccettabbli skont l-istandards tal-Unjoni Ewropea, li titlob mir-rapprezentanti eletti mill-poplu l-akbar trasparenza. Il-Koalizzjoni ta’ parlamentari konfessjonali mill-PL u l-PN kienu ga abdikaw mir-responsabilitajiet taghhom meta rrifjutaw li jillegislaw dwar id-divorzju u xehtu l-piz tad-decizjoni fuq il-poplu Malti. Issa li l-poplu tkellem car u tond, bla ebda tlaqliq, din il-koalizzjoni ta’ parlamentari rresponsabbli qed tipprova ccahhad lill-poplu mid-drittijiet legittimi tieghu. Ejja ma nhalluhomx jirnexxu f’dan li qed jippruvaw jaghmlu, li jmur kontra l-principji bazici tad-demokrazija. Ir-rieda tal-poplu trid tigi mwettqa u dawk id-deputati li ghandhom problemi ta’ kuxjenza ghandhom triq onorevoli wahda: dik li jirrizenjaw minnufih.”
