UPDATED - Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this evening that he hoped the Nationalist Party Executive would conclude its discussion and take a decision on divorce by the end of this month.
He said that a free, open and interesting decision was taking place within the party. It was hoped that the discussion would be concluded this month with a resolution.
A political party, Dr Gonzi said, should assume responsibility for its decisions and take a position on matters of principle, without, however, imposing anything on anyone.
This, however, was not what the PL was doing with regard to divorce.
Speaking on blogTV on Net Television this evening, Dr Gonzi said that once the decision within the PN was taken, it would be announced and the people would be told how matters would proceed.
Dr Gonzi said the original private member's bill on divorce (presented by Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando) had been so defective, that its mover had allowed it to lapse. It was then substatituted by a new Bill by two MPs (Dr Pullicino Orlando and Evarist Bartolo) and this was now on the parliamentary agenda and would be debated.
Dr Gonzi said the private member's bill had come as a surprise for everyone, but he did not wish to surprise the people.
Once there was no electoral mandate for the introduction of divorce and the people was surprised by this move, he felt the PN should not take an initiative on divorce without hearing the electorate in a free vote. It made no sense for him to order MPs to vote in one way or another (in Parliament) when the decision should be taken by the electorate.
Dr Gonzi also said that a Bill on cohabitation was being prepared and would be presented to the PN parliamentary group along with other subjects, such as IVF.
Earlier, Dr Gonzi said he expected this year to be a good one for Malta.
There were major challenges ahead, such as containing the costs of water, electricity and food and reforming Air Malta, he said, but the country had last year weathered the international financial storm better than other countries. It had a record in tourism and was also managing to bring down the deficit.
PROTEST ON RISING PRICES
On the protest planned by the PL on rising prices, Dr Gonzi said prices were dictated by the international markets over which Malta had little control.
He mentioned the cost of living mechanism (COLA) as one measure which could be taken to cushion the blow of prices, noting how COLA had risen consistently, with an increase of €5.82 last year. People should take a look at their pay cheques at the end of January of the past five years and they would see that they had been given a total of €14.55c per week as cost of living compensation, he said.
The civil service collective agreement also showed further increases. Those on scale 10, for example, in the past five years, had enjoyed an increase of €2,840 per year.
Malta, he said, had been able to make oil purchases for the next eight months at prices of the past two months, also locking the value of the dollar, thus stabilising local electricity costs.
The government was also investing on a cable to link to the power grid, for cheaper electricity.
CRITICISM BY NATIONALIST MPs
Asked if criticism by Nationalist MPs were making his life hell, and if he felt threatened, Dr Gonzi said no threats were being made.
He had no doubt, he said, that all those who expressed themselves did so in good faith. In the situations so far, he had faced the persons concerned and discussed the relevant issues.
With reference to criticism by Jean-Pierre Farrugia on the raise given to ministers and MPs, Dr Gonzi said he had not been able to meet Dr Farrugia so far, but he hoped to do so in order to explain his reasoning behind the decisions.
He noted that Dr Farrugia had decided to donate his raise to a noble cause, and he admired him for it.