Just like for the 2008 general election and the 2009 European Parliament election, travel arrangements have been made for eligible voters living abroad to enable them to vote in Malta in the forthcoming divorce referendum on 28 May.

Bookings opened as from noon yesterday and Air Malta will be making available return tickets, at a charge of €35, inclusive of taxes and other charges, to persons whose name appears in the electoral register published last October.

Those wishing to book their flight ticket may do so by calling the Air Malta call centre on (+356) 23645321, for overseas callers, and on 23645321 for local calls. These travel arrangements will be for the period Friday 20 May to Sunday 5 June, both days included, and are valid for eligible voters, including those married to foreigners, studying, working or undergoing medical treatment abroad, and their dependents.

Whereas the travel arrangements for the 2008 and 2009 elections were announced over three weeks prior to voting day, the latest arrangements were only announced yesterday – just 18 days prior to the referendum.

Many people have complained to this newspaper that the delay in the official announcement has made it difficult for them to come to Malta to vote.

Some said that the delay made it difficult for them to take leave from work or make other arrangements like baby sitting services since the matter was left late. Others are thinking they have missed the bus and that arrangements of which they were unaware, have already been made. Some Maltese citizens on internship or studying abroad are also not aware of their right to vote.

Last year, the Foreign Affairs Ministry had issued details on travel arrangements on 18 May for the 6 June elections. Similarly, a press release was issued through the Department of Information on 12 February, 2008 with regard to travel arrangements for eligible voters living abroad and who wanted to come to Malta for the 8 March elections.

Information given by the Prime Minister in parliament in the past months showed the costs incurred by Air Malta to bring 1,377 persons to vote in the European Parliament elections of 2009 reached €442,345.

Air Malta had spent €1 million to transfer 3,057 persons to Malta in the last general election.