AD 'closest to gay aspirations'
Ivan Camilleri
Malta Gay Rights Movement officials said yesterday they feel Alternattiva Demokrtatika policies are closest to their aspirations.
"From the way they've been speaking on our issues and concerns, we feel they are the party closest to us," an official of the movement said during a meeting with AD to officially present a petition to political parties asking them to address their problems. The petition was signed by 1,063 citizens.
The movement is calling on political parties to formally recognise the rights of same-sex couples, to include an article in the Criminal Code on homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools, to provide legal protection against discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and to include gender reassignment surgery and hormone therapy for transgender persons as part of the public health services.
AD chairman Harry Vassallo said his party is generally in agreement with these proposals, qualifying his comment by stating that "priorities should prevail" when it comes to free gender reassignment surgery through the public health system.
Asked by The Times whether AD is in favour of recognising gay marriages, Dr Vassallo said his party is in favour of recognising partnerships not marriages.
The country, he said, is not prepared yet for gay marriage. The recognition of partnerships is "a first step".
In the EU, gay marriages are recognised only in Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Dr Vassallo criticised the Nationalist Party for not putting into practice its 1998 promise to recognise civil partnerships.
"If that promise was delivered, we wouldn't be here talking again about the recognition of civil partnerships," he said.
Gabbie Calleja - coordinator of the movement - said there are a minimum of 15,000 Maltese voters who are gay, lesbian or bi-sexual.
The petition will be presented to the other political parties.
Azzjoni Nazzjonali has already accepted to meet the movement while the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party are expected to reply shortly.
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