The divorce law proposed by Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando is being amended and adapted to Maltese needs in a new private members' motion presented in Parliament today
The new motion was signed jointly by MPs Evarist Bartolo and Dr Pullicino Orlando.
Deborah Schembri, who heads the Yes for Divorce Movement, said that Dr Pullicino Orlando's original bill was based on Irish legislation, but this was now being amended 'in shape not substance' to better fit into the Maltese Civil Law.
"The essential elements of Dr Pullicino Orlando's bill are being retained, " she said.
As in the original, the bill was not proposing a 'quick fix' divorce and applicants for divorce had to have been apart for four years out of the last five, she said.
However, the new bill provides for faster divorce procedures for people who would already have been legally separated for four years, since, in their case, it was clear that reconciliation was not possible, and maintenance would have been agreed.
People who were apart but not yet legally separated would be able to start divorce proceedings instead of separation proceedings.
Those people who had started separation proceedings would not need to start the divorce proceedings anew but the separation proceedings would be carried over, especially if they would already have been living apart for four years.
Dr Schembri said the proposed divorce law provided that maintenance for children would continue beyond 16 years for children who wished to continue to study - up to the age of 23.
Maintenance in the case of spouses would stop in the case of remarriage.
The law also provided that during divorce proceedings, the judge may allow the parties to sell assets when that was seen as suitable.
The new law, she said, would not affect those people who already had a separation contract or whose marriage had been annulled.
Dr Pullicino Orlando said that further amendments could be moved in the future as necessary and the movement was open to suggestions.
The Nationalist MP said he did not know when the bill would be discussed but, he said, the prime minister had indicated that he did not wish this matter to drag on to election time.
Should the bill, 'god willing' be accepted, the lives of many people would be improved, Dr Pullicino Orlando said.
Dr Schembri said the new amendments would remove overlapping and duplicate proceedings in court, especially those involving persons who had already started separation proceedings and wanted divorce.