Alternattiva Demokratika criticised the government for its obstruction of EU plans to harmonise divorce laws. “The Commission proposal is aimed at alleviating the misery caused by the differences in divorce laws across the EU.

Malta’s objection is extravagantly insensitive to the pain and suffering endured by hundreds of people across the EU involved in divorce proceedings across state borders. It is especially extravagant since the proposal as it stands does not affect Malta in any way,” chairman Harry Vassallo said.

“At this time no Maltese court has the legal authority to grant a divorce and cannot be included in any harmonisation exercise being conducted by the EU,” Dr Vassallo said

“The extreme caution and the extravagant obstructionism of the Maltese government can only be interpreted as an acknowledgement by the government that divorce was introduced as a legal institution in 1975 with the recognition of foreign divorces.”

“For the past 31 years the Maltese government has continued to deny its own legal and social reality simply for electoral reasons. It has been insensitive to the pain and suffering of its own citizens who may opt to remarry if they were allowed to do so and now it has extended its insensitivity to affect the lives of 450 million people,” Dr Vassallo said.

“Instead of boasting of its obstruction to the EU proposal, the government should withdraw its objections at once and commence a serious public debate on the issue of divorce in Malta with a view to bringing our own laws in line with our own social reality,” Dr Vassallo said.

“Alternattiva Demokratika has been in favour of divorce since 1992 and has not changed its mind. It remains the only political party in Malta clearly in favour of reason and common sense on this issue,” Dr Vassallo said.

“The position of the Maltese government with regard to the harmonisation of divorce law across the EU makes Malta a continental laughing stock in a way which the population of this country does not deserve.”