Dalli attacked over cautious approach to EU anti-discrimination law
The Malta Gay Rights Movement has criticised Social Policy Minister John Dalli for calling a proposed EU anti-discrimination directive "premature".
Mr Dalli said the directive should not prejudice national practices in areas such as marriage, the family, sexual and reproductive rights.
"How on earth can we ever discount an anti-discrimination directive as being ahead of its time? Are we finally admitting that our national practices in these areas are discriminatory?" the movement asked.
"Are we admitting that we are not prepared to do what it takes to ensure that people are not treated differently just because they have different religious beliefs, have a disability, are old or gay?"
The movement was reacting to Mr Dalli's speech earlier this month, at a meeting of the EU's Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council where he explained Malta's official position on the directive against discrimination in the provision of goods and services.
The directive aims at eradicating discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation.
MGRM added that during a meeting with the Nationalist Party before the last election, the party had supported this directive "in principle", and this stand meant it was now going back on its word. The proposal gives member states two years to implement the necessary measures but in his speech Mr Dalli called for more time to be allotted and for a more detailed study to analyse the implications of such a proposal.
"Mr Dalli called for a long period of cultural adaptation, implying that discrimination is culturally engrained in our society and our government is not willing to do much to speed up the process of eradicating it," MGRM said.
The spokesman argues that there are thousands of Maltese who were either not Catholic, disabled, over 65, gay or a combination of these. "These are people who are vulnerable to unjustified discriminatory treatment, which the proposed directive is intended to address. The government does not have the political will to protect all these people from unfair discrimination, with at least the same sense of urgency and zeal as it is willing to safeguard the national coffers in the wake of rising energy prices," it concluded.
When contacted, a spokesman for Mr Dalli said that there was nothing the minister wanted to add to his speech.
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Franco Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2008, 23:28
@ K Pullicino - I hardly think so. Why do you say so? Are you comfortable with your rights and don't give a toss for the rights of others??
Marlene Vella
Oct 23rd 2008, 22:44
K. Pullicino - perhaps in the analysis you may wish to observe that no one here is asking for special treatment or special rights. It's about equality, social responsibility and Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Marlene Vella
Oct 23rd 2008, 22:32
Oh My... aren't some people here living in a bullet-proof bubble? At the mere mention of anything relating to 'gay' lo and behold!
Mr/Mrs/Miss J Farrugia, with all due respect I think it's your own self-righteousness that's beyond comprehension. Clearly your flimsy comment only shows that you have no idea what this directive is about at all, let alone how much European civil and political society is actively engaging to enact it!
Perhaps the apologists on here conveniently forget how many people have purposely voted yes for the EU on the grounds for equality and civil rights! Believe me many of us out there will not forget how our MEPs are voting, next time!
K. Pullicino
Oct 23rd 2008, 21:55
Giving away rights to everyone who claims them left, right and centre without analyzing the situation first seems to be the new, "modern" trend these days, isn't it?
Franco Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2008, 16:19
But sometimes, I really wonder what was the use of joining the EU.
I mean to say, are we just choosing what to adopt? Picking and choosing what applies to us, Maltese?
That wouldn't be so bad, but in so doing, we are doing this wherever it suits us. So, we have no alternative but to accept a situation where there won't be subsidies anymore - fine! But where it suits the Government, especially in civil rights and matters, we just choose what suits us! Crap! Nothing but crap!
Franco Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2008, 16:15
@ Ms Pace Gouder - 'Perhaps it's not just Iran that's a fundamentalist state!!' Oh, how true! How true!
Lucy PG
Oct 23rd 2008, 13:24
Perhaps Mr. Dalli should be reasonable enough to REMOVE the equality role that was handed down to him from Minister Cristina. Otherwise, he should realise that being a minister whose remit is EQUALITY, he is DUTY BOUND to actually promote equality rather than hinder it. If we want to protect marriage and family, and all those beautiful things we so cherish and love (!), there should ultimately be a belief in EQUALITY, because, unless i'm proven wrong... human beings are EQUAL. If not, then let's not kid ourselves that we live in a modern society. Perhaps it's not just Iran that's a fundamentalist state!! Oh crap...
Franco Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2008, 12:34
Yes, keep on protecting the true Maltese family.
And what is that, I ask? The family that hide various skeletons in the cupboards? Such as domestic violence, kicking and beating the daylights out of our wives? And terrifying our children into subservience? Or shooting, Western-style, our siblings over inheritance problems?
Going to the Kazini and playing cards, drinking till we're half crazy with alcohol and then go rape our unwilling wives?
Living unhappily within the 'family' that we 'built' and unable to find the guts to undo what was previously done badly and without thought because people will talk?
What are these so-called family traditions that we are so crazily trying to protect????? There is a vacuum out there, and we are unable to see it!
J Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2008, 11:44
The arrogance of these irresponsible movements is beyond comprehension. Minister Dalli keep your feet on the ground ... you're doing well. The majority of the population want you to keep on track and take care of the true Maltese family.
Ramon Casha
Oct 23rd 2008, 10:52
Prejudice national practice?! Is the minister implying that discrimination and injustice should be protected as a national practice?
Andrew Sciberras
Oct 23rd 2008, 10:28
I can never say 'well done' to someone who seems to support a situation of inequality and speaks on behalf of me to all of Europe about something which I completely disagree with. I wonder when the day will come when something that does not conform with so-called 'traditional/moral family values' is no longer seen as a 'social malaise' or 'evil'.
Wishful thinking...
Franco Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2008, 10:20
Vide last paragraph - As if anyone of them would have anything 'further' to say. We're living in an arrogant era, fullstop!
Marvin Mizzi
Oct 23rd 2008, 10:12
Well done Hon Minsiter Dalli at last we have a Minister who speaks sense. Change cannot be done for the sake of change but it has to be done when it is needed. We need to protect marriage and the family so we need legislation in this sense. Any form of legislation that undermines family and marriage is not in our interest. Keep the good work Hon Minister we need ministers who take the responsibility and do the right things.