The Movement Against Divorce this evening urged the political parties to agree on the divorce referendum question and to allocate public funds for a proper and fair educational campaign on divorce.

In a statement on the eve of the opening in parliament of a 10-sitting debate on a motion for the holding of the divorce referendum, the movement said it regretted that the country had unjustly been placed in a situation where a decision had to be taken without proper studies on the consequences of divorce.

This situation made it necessary for public funds to be allocated for an intensive and fair campaign that informed the people on all aspects of the issue.

The movement said there was also need for a schedule of TV and radio programmes and publicity spots so that all sides could put their views across.

With reference to the referendum question, the movement urged MPs to agree on a question that permitted a clear choice for those in favour or against divorce. The question should not be one which obstructed the people’s right to choose by giving the mistaken impression that rights and interests could be guaranteed, when experience showed that such rights could not be easily guaranteed by divorce.

Maltese families and society in general deserved better, the movement said.