Dalli urges detailed study on proposed EU directive

Kenneth Zammit Tabona

Oct 3rd 2008, 01:37

Malta and you lot who think this retrograde news is the best thing since sliced bread are living in cloud-cuckooland choked in a morass of hypocrisy so thick that you cannot face reality. If that's what you like then you are all welcome to it. I for one have no qualms about giving politcos who blithely quash their electoral promises the finger. Nobody, niether you lot nor Minister Dalli has any right to dictate how I live and the PN pre electoral promises pledged to look into all the topics mentioned. Now in his infinite wisdom Mr Dalli probably in consultation with the Curia that really rules this country has deemed it all premature! Get a life. You all sound like those old men sitting on the zuntier bewailing the ills of 'daz-zmien'

Joseph Tanti

Oct 2nd 2008, 23:03

oh my! oh my! how disgustingly retrograde and conservative... 'maltese values' my foot...just a minister who encouraged consumerism and materialism galore (hardly 'christian'!) with the usual conservative fixation with interfering in people's personal lifes and bedrooms... just speak for yourself Dalli and stop treating your adult citizens like little children

Charles Sammut

Oct 2nd 2008, 22:19

Mr Dalli has his feet firmly on the ground. He would have made a far better prime minister than the one we have. That's not saying much, I know, but anyway.

A society is held together by its values. When you start introducing so called progressive, liberal, inclusive tendencies which gnaw away at its values, it starts to disintegrate.

Where do you draw the line? Gay marriages? Adoption of children by gay couples? Polygamy as practised in muslim communities? Paedophilia? The argument behind legalising paedophilia is that children should not be deprived of the joys of sex. What about someone who wants to marry his goat? Why not?

And how come the omnipresent Curia did not give its views on this one?

malcolm seychell

Oct 2nd 2008, 21:23

Dalli is no fool.

Probably by this other far left directive we will become a society were the word responsibility won't exist any more.

I believe Onor Dalli is one of the most ministers who believes in a secular state.

What will mean for the EU equal treatment?

that a man can start to marry 4 woman?
that he asks the woman for divorce and he gets it because of his religion?
will gay couples be given the right to adopt? (for me they can stay together, fill income taxes together, get loans etc etc but not a right for adoption)

Onor Dalli is seeing the big picture as usual, unlike many others in parliament.

l Galea

Oct 2nd 2008, 20:36

@John Grima
You hit the nail on the head.
You can also include same sex marriages, adoption by gays and other destructive modern tendencies.

Franco Farrugia

Oct 2nd 2008, 19:30

This is shameful.

What have we joined the EU for? To remain at a standstill?

Just listen to that: 'Malta strongly felt that the proposal should not, in any way prejudice national practices in areas such as marriage, the family, sexual and reproductive rights.'

With what right does Minister Dalli speak on my behalf, for one?

'In the talks which would be held, it was important that one considered the different realities in the various member states , Mr Dalli said.' Oh, yes, sure.... that Malta is still living in the sixteenth century, where it suits us!!!!! Hallina, Ministru!

And don't try to make believe all this hogwash about family values. Mosts people are having it off, anyway, with partners who are not their spouses. We're just a bunch of hypocrites, that's what we are.

Well done, Mark Grech. But remember, we're living in Catholic Malta. We have values, you know.

John Grima

Oct 2nd 2008, 17:52

Could it be that this new directive could be used by a minority group who want to legislate in favour of abortion, thus forcing the Maltese Authorities to make abortion available even if a big majority of the population do not want such legislation.

Andrew Sciberras

Oct 2nd 2008, 16:58

The Minister may have certainly won himself some points by being tough with his counterparts but his reservations are to me quite alarming. This directive is there to strengthen existing legislation on social equality and to act as a stronger counter-measure to discrimination. I'm glad that the minister 'backed the purposes of this proposed directive' but what does he mean when he said that 'Malta strongly felt that the proposal should not, in any way prejudice national practices in areas such as marriage, the family, sexual and reproductive rights' ? Does he believe that Maltese and other citizens resident in Malta not fitting in what can be described as socially accepted norms (white, catholic, heterosexual and married) are not deserving of equal treatment?

According to the directive's summary this directive "would only prohibit discrimination in the areas that fall within EC competence, so would not affect the organisation or content of education (e.g. special needs education), questions of marital status (e.g. same sex partnerships/marriages) or family law (e.g. adoption) or national rules on the secular nature of the State or its institutions;"

So what does the Minister truly fear? This is social conservatism at its best.

H. Dempster

Oct 2nd 2008, 16:44

Excuse me, But Mr Dalli Has always talked sense. in fact as far as i am concerned he is the only minister who ever talks sense, although sometimes he gets on my nerves as well.

l Galea

Oct 2nd 2008, 16:39

Good and I agree.
Now let's see if we are ready to use whatever means at our disposal to prevent the eu stepping over the red line.

Mark Grech

Oct 2nd 2008, 16:35

I'm afraid I must disagree with most of the comments so far. This directive is aimed at not discriminating against various minority groups in society. The detailed study proposed by Mr Dalli is aimed at kicking this proposal into touch and burying it. Far more honest should he have just opposed it outright at the start.
I voted for Malta to be part of the EU precisely for it to serve as a lever and stimulus to kickstart social change in Maltese society. Are we saying that it is correct, in this day and age, to be able to discriminate against a fellow citizen because of, say , his or her sexual orientation? These minority groups in our society all pay their share of taxes. They all have their aspirations and needs and successes and failures. I say it would make us more humane and civilized as a nation to adopt some of the attitudes and standards of inclusivity already adopted and taken as second nature by a lot of our fellow Europeans.

NICHOLAS SALIBA

Oct 2nd 2008, 16:30

i fully agree with the minister. now let's hope that this RED LINE is not in any way side tracked by the 'liberals' of the EU. if necessary we should use our VETO.

paul fava

Oct 2nd 2008, 16:30

I propose another detailed study Minister mainly how are the middle class especially those hailing from families with only one bread winner expected to pay the new utilities' tariffs without lowering their standard of living!!

malcolm seychell

Oct 2nd 2008, 15:23

Surely the best minister together with Austin Gatt.

They have what it takes to be leaders.

I feel sorry that illegal immigration was not under their responsability.

Well done Onor Dalli. Keep it up

Joanne Micallef

Oct 2nd 2008, 15:10

Finally someone in Parlament that remembers why he was elected by the Maltese people. Well Done

victor vella

Oct 2nd 2008, 15:01

Now that is what I call real talk.

Marvin Mizzi

Oct 2nd 2008, 14:55

Finally we have a Minister that speaks with sense and knows what he is saying. As he said it was important that one considered the different realities in the various member states and the proposals should not, in any way prejudice national practices in areas such as marriage, the family, sexual and reproductive rights. Thank Hon Minister for standing up for important Maltese values like family