Now that the citizens' rights have been curtailed through the vote in the second reading in parliament, it is the time to start organising ourselves for an abrogative referendum, Momentum said Thursday.

Momentum General Secretary, Mark Camilleri Gambin said: "We are full-square behind the proposal originally put forward by ADPD to collect signatures for a referendum to abrogate the repressive clauses in the law, once it is finally approved in third reading."

The process for the collection of the signatures of 10% of the population is a long one, Momentum said. The representatives of the scores of NGOs, ranging from Graffitti to Repubblika, Birdlife to Friends of the Earth,  Aditus to Occupy Justice, and of the political parties, ranging from Momentum to PN, ADPD to Volt, should get together to form a referendum committee.

Referenda questions require surgical precision and it is thus important that the committee helps identify and formulate the best question that addresses the concerns of all Maltese citizens.

"The battle on this vital issue has been temporarily lost, but the people's will shall ultimately prevail", concluded Camilleri Gambin.