Malta Today: Government lacks the courage to call civil unions, marriage – Claudette Buttigieg

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Government-lacks-the-courage-to-call-civil-unions-marriage-Claudette-Buttigieg-20131017
Thursday 17 October 2013 - 17:39 by Tim Attard Montalto

Nationalist MP Claudette Buttigieg, who is also the party's civil liberties spokesperson, has critisised the government saying that it lacks the 'courage' to call the bill - which will regulate civil unions for gay couples - a marriage.

"Who is the government trying to fool? The truth is that it has no courage to call this a marriage," she said.

The government presented the bill on Monday is currently being discussed in parliament.

Buttigieg was of the opinion that the government was afraid to refer to civil unions as marriages because of its more conservative clique.

"The government is simply trying to please its conservative following. By not referring to it as a 'marriage', it avoids having to admit to them that a civil union and a marriage are, effectively, the same thing," she said.

The MP said that even the LGBT were not happy with the term 'civil union'.

"The LGBT community believes that, by not referring to the bill as a marriage, it is a case of almost being given full rights, just so as not to be given those full rights," she said.

Whilst Buttigieg did not divulge her own personal position on the matter, she said that the matter was a very delicate one and was being treated accordingly by the Opposition.

"I do not think that is correct to give my position as yet as things are still not clear-cut. What is clear is that this is a bill which needs to be taken very seriously. We will be seeking legal advice on the matter and will be meeting in the coming days to discuss the matter thoroughly," she said.