AD urges people to vote in the referendum
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said that “AD is confident that the referendum can be won, if people stand up and be counted. We strongly appeal those who are in favour of the introduction of divorce to vote Yes in the referendum. Abstention from voting can play in the hands of the fundamentalists who want Malta to remain without this basic civil right. We also appeal to those who do not agree with divorce but do not want to prohibit others from this right to vote yes in the referendum. Those who want to deny divorce to the thousands who need this civil right should not be allowed to win.”
Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer, AD Deputy Chairperson and Spokesperson for Civil Rights said that “one should vote yes because adults have a right to make their own decisions about whether they want to stay single, to remarry or to cohabit with their new partner once their previous marriage has irrevocably failed. Divorce is a civil right which is being denied to a number of people who are not in a position to obtain it from abroad. Malta is the only country in the world where divorce is not granted by the courts but where divorce obtained from many other countries is recognised by the state.”
Prof. Arnold Cassola, AD Spokesperson on EU and International Affairs, said that “Alternattiva Demokratika is asking the Maltese people to live up to the motto of the European Union that we joined in 2004, i.e. ‘United in diversity’. People might have different beliefs but we should be tolerant of the beliefs of others, even if they are different from ours. Voting ‘YES’ at the referendum will also be a respectful sign of tolerance of those who do not necessarily share your beliefs, but who are in need of your help to be able to start afresh in life.”
AD theggeg lin-nies li jivvutaw fir-referendum
L-Alternattiva Demokratika theggeg lin-nies johorgu jivvutaw fir-referendum dwar id-divorzju nhar it-28 ta’ Mejju
Michael Briguglio, Chairperson ta’ l-AD, qal li “L-AD kunfidenti li r-referendum jista’ jintrebah, jekk in-nies isemmghu lehinhom. Nappellaw sabiex dawk li huma favur l-introduzzjoni tad-divorzju f’pajjizna jivvutaw Iva fir-referendum. Astenzjoni mill-vot jaghti vantagg lil dawk il-fundamentalisti li jridu lil Malta tibqa’ minghajr dan id-dritt baziku civili. Nappellaw ukoll lil dawk li ghalkemm ma jaqblux mad-divorzju, ma jixtiqux icahhdu lill-ohrajn minn dan id-dritt sabiex jivvutaw iva fir-referendum. Dawk li jridu jcahhdu d-divorzju lill-eluf li ghandhom bzonn dan id dritt civili m’ghandhomx jithallew jirbhu.”
Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer, Deputat Chairperson ta’ l-AD u Kelliema ghad-Drittijiet Civili, qalet li “wiehed ghandu jivvota iva ghax adulti ghandhom id-dritt jaghmlu d-decizjonijiet taghhom dwar jekk jixtiqux jibqghu single, jekk jergghux jizzewgu, jew jekk jixtiqux jikkoabitaw ma’ persuna ohra la darba iz-zwieg taghhom ikun falla. Id-divorzju huwa dritt civili li qed jigi michud lil numru ta’ nies li m’humiex f’pozizzjoni jakkwistawh minn barra minn Malta. Malta hija l-uniku pajjiz fid-dinja fejn id-divorzju ma jistax jinkiseb mill-qrati taghna, izda li jirrakonoxxi divorzju migjub minn barra.
Prof. Arnold Cassola, kelliem ta’ l-AD dwar l-UE u Affarijiet Internazzjonali, qal li “l-Alternattiva Demokratika qed issaqsi lill-Maltin biex igibu gih lill-motto ta’ l-Unjoni Ewropeja, li Malta saret parti minnha fl-2004: ‘Maghquda fid-diversita`’. In-nies jaf ikollhom twemmin differenti, izda ghandna nkunu tolleranti lejn it-twemmin taghhom, anka jekk huwa differenti minn taghna. Vot ta’ ‘IVA’ fir-referendum se jkun ukoll sinjal ta’ rispett u tolleranza lejn dawk li mhux necessarjament jaqsmu t-twemmin tieghek, izda li ghandhom bzonn l-ghajnuna tieghek biex ikunu jistghu jergghu jibdew hajjithom mill-gdid.”
