Cheap flights for referendum voting announced
Eligible voters wishing to cast their ballot in the divorce referendum may make use of Air Malta flights which will be available for €35 return, it was announced today. The price includes taxes and other charges.
Reservations may be made at an Air Malta call centre on +356 23645321 and local calls on 23645321.
These travel arrangements will be for the period Friday 20 May 2011 to Sunday 5 June 2011, both days inclusive and are valid for:
(a) eligible voters, including those married to foreigners, studying, working or undergoing medical treatment abroad; and
(b) dependents of the persons referred to in (a) above.
The scheme applies to voters whose name appears in the Electoral Register published in October 2010.
38 Comments
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Josephine Farrugia
May 12th 2011, 11:46
I finally got through this morning and the first available flight leaving London was Tuesday, so there you go!
Mr Robert Agius
May 12th 2011, 11:13
...Now that all flights are fully booked. Keeping up appearances it seems....
Mr Tony Gauci
May 12th 2011, 10:21
My oh my I am so disapointed with the service we are getting to Book the flight!!!! It seems there is only one line available and been trying to contact Air Malta to book a fight since this morning.... This is very Discouriging for those who wish to have thier say......ACTION PLEASE !!!!!!!!!!
Mr Chali Wires
May 11th 2011, 20:35
I sincerely dont know whats all the fuss about this funding.. Cant you see, according to the EU, Malta cannot inject investment directly into the airline, however it doesnt stop our government in paying over the odds for a particular service can it?!
Gerry Cowie
May 11th 2011, 19:35
What a huge waste of money, especially during a recession and with the National airline in crisis! Why can they not bring in postal voting?
Mr Joseph Calleja
May 11th 2011, 20:23
Too stupid maybe? Or playing the game of politics at Tax Payers expense, as usual? Only in Malta
Saviour Sam Agius
May 11th 2011, 19:21
Is this offer valid for direct AirMalta flights only or are code shared flights included as well? Can we have a list of airports to choose from? Not everyone lives in London or Brussels ...
Charles Massa
May 11th 2011, 17:04
Hela ta flus il poplu. Min irid jigi jivvota ghandu ihallas u mhux nissussidjalu l passagg mit taxxi ta flus il poplu.
Mr V Mercieca
May 11th 2011, 17:46
In total agreement with you.
Sarah Mifsud
May 11th 2011, 18:21
I think we're jumping to conclusions here, according to this article anyway: http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=125007
Mr Victor vella
May 11th 2011, 16:25
If the unions at Air Malta have the worker at their hearts, they cound boycott these flights and be operated by Gonzi and his accolades. There is money to squander when 600 Air Malta employees are doomed to be sacked because of the dire financial situation of the company? These flights are going to add to the bankruptcy of Air Malta. In the income statement of the company these expenses are going to be added to increase the net losses that the company had been suffering from 1993. That is why the Gonzi regime had not made hovoc of Air Malta as he had done to other parastatal entities- because the insensitive regime wants to make of Air Malta the portal to attain the powers needed to remain there oppressing the people by illicit means-the same tactic the regime is going to use in the coming election.
Mr J BaldryFarrugia
May 11th 2011, 16:15
Great now if AirMalta were to keep offering cheap flights through the year the carrier wouldn't be in such a mess as they are in now, and 600 jobs would be saved. Right or wrong?
Mr Joseph Sammut
May 11th 2011, 16:07
Anyone wishes to travel to Malta from the UK in the norman manner within these dates have to fork out GBP500 !!!
Mr Joseph Calleja
May 11th 2011, 18:17
Mr Sammut, very well said. The government has no shame whatsoever. Divorce is not a sin but squandering the Tax Payer's money like this, is. Joe Zammit et al, take note. How can a Maltese Citizen living in Malta justify this squandering of public funds?
Charlie Borg
May 11th 2011, 15:57
My opinion is that this is an enormous amount of money (probably verging on to the millions of euro) which the taxpayer is paying for a silly, needless referendum. Silly and needless is both because this referendum should have never been felt needed, with our pseudo parliamentarians not fulfilling their role within a lay democratic state; as well as the fact that it is consultative and is not going to push this administration into legislating, at least up to the next election. More squandering of money!
Mr Robert Dingli
May 11th 2011, 17:21
Mr Farrugia,
Article 57 applies to election of members of the House of Representatives AND NOT for a referendum !
This is a referendum (one of general interest) and not an election for Parliament !
Mr Albert Farrugia
May 11th 2011, 15:42
Just a small reminder: The Constitution of Malta states the following as one of the requirements to be eligible to be a voter:
"Art. 57 ....a person shall be qualified to be registered as a voter for the election of members of the House of Representatives if,...he is resident in Malta and has during the eighteen months immediately preceding his registration been a resident for a continuous period of six months or for periods amounting in the aggregate to six months." Exceptions are granted to "..a person
who is ordinarily resident in Malta but has not been resident in Malta as required by this paragraph by
reason of service abroad in the public service."
Simply having one's name on the electoral register does not, in itself, qualify a person to vote:
Art. 35 of the General Elections Act: "...Provided that nothing in this article shall entitle any person to
vote who has ceased to have the necessary qualifications to vote...Nor shall anything in this article entitle any person to vote unless he satisfies the requirements of this Act."
Moreover, Art. 112 of the said Act states that if someone "...votes when he knows that he has lost the right to vote, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine (multa) not exceeding one thousand and one hundred and sixty-four euro and sixty-nine cents (1,164.69) or to imprisonment
for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment"...and "(2) Every person who aids or abets the commission of an offence under this article or attempts to commit any such offence
shall be liable, on conviction, to the punishment provided for the offence.
Mr Robert Dingli
May 11th 2011, 17:39
Mr Farrugia,
Article 57 applies to election of members of the House of Representatives AND NOT for a referendum !
This is a referendum on divorce (one of general interest) and not an election for Parliament !
Mr Robert Dingli
May 11th 2011, 17:43
Mr Farrugia,
Article 57 applies to election of members of the House of Representatives AND NOT for a referendum !
This is a referendum (one of general interest) and not an election for Parliament !
Mr Albert Farrugia
May 11th 2011, 19:26
Mr Dingli, pls take a look at Art 11 of the Referenda Act: "All persons who, on the date of the publication of the writ to which a referendum refers, are entitled to vote for the election of members of the House shall be entitled to vote in that referendum."
Leila Gomez
May 12th 2011, 16:08
I would be very interested to know how you would define someone who is ordinarily resident?
Mr Joseph Calleja
May 11th 2011, 14:44
I think this a cheap shot by the Maltese Government and Air Malta. An insult to all Maltese citizens living in Malta. (Gharukasa). And what does the Maltese Citizen (Tax payer) living in Malta get? Not even a free ride to the polling station, unless you are voting no. And then they wonder why people revolt? The Maltese Government, like any other government could have used the Maltese Embassies for Maltese overseas to vote or better yet the very sophisticated Maltese Government could have used the Internet. Shame on the government. Here is Air Malta almost bankrupt, according to our Finance Minister and yet Air Malta still offers Freebeee tickets to politicians and their families and now cheap round trip tickets(which used to be FREE) to citizens living outside Malta. Again, What do the Maltese Citizens (Tax Payers) and the Air Malta employees get? 600 of the Air Malta employees will be getting termination notices and the rest of the citizens get what? And all this to decide whether it should be legal for me and wife to be able to get a divorce? I think the government should stay out of people's personal business. I think every Maltese Citizen eligible to vote should get a round trip ticket on Air Malta for €35 return. Veru post tal-Mickey Mouse. Maybe we can have a referendum on this one too?
Sarah Mifsud
May 11th 2011, 17:27
May I point out that when you say "The Maltese Government, like any other government could have used the Maltese Embassies for Maltese overseas to vote or better yet the very sophisticated Maltese Government could have used the Internet." you're not being entirely precise since I know for certain that at least the Greeks have the same system as us Maltese (:
Mr Joseph Calleja
May 11th 2011, 18:26
@ Sarah Mifsud
My apologies but, May I bring up the sad situation of the Greek Government? What happened to Olympic Airlines that was owned and run by the Greek Government? And are you aware that the Greek financial situation is in great jeopardy? Check with Minister Antonio Fenech, I am sure he is very familiar with the Greek financial situation. I would not bring the Greek Government as a good example to save Our National Airline. So Ms Mifsud, again my apologies but remember, two wrongs don't make a right.
Sarah Mifsud
May 11th 2011, 18:46
two wrongs certainly don't make one right, just pointing out that it's not an only in Malta situation. this time anyway... ((:
Mr Joseph Calleja
May 11th 2011, 20:27
Sarah Mifsud
A point very well taken. Thank you (:
Joseph Calleja
Ms C Schembri
May 11th 2011, 14:23
Been on the line trying to reserve a seat since 12:53!!!!! What a brilliant service!!
Mr Gaetano Caruana
May 11th 2011, 14:34
gerger wkoll... sahha ha tiehu flight bi prezz tac-cicri!
Mr David Vassallo
May 11th 2011, 14:48
Same here :( 1 hour and counting on hold... Not usual with airmalta, they usually have fast and friendly bookings for these flights
Josephine Farrugia
May 11th 2011, 15:35
Join the club - I've been holding for 1hr 15 min.
Ms C Schembri
May 11th 2011, 15:41
it is my right as it is yours! I am complaining about the service not the offer!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr Ian Micallef
May 11th 2011, 16:27
Called the provided number as soon as I heard about this and got through after just a 3 minute wait. However there are no seats available from Friday to Sunday and I can't take any leave.
Mr Andrea Coppini
May 11th 2011, 16:27
Same here.. been calling all afternoon. When I do get through, I'm on hold for 40 minutes until the on-hold music suddenly stops.
Mr David Vassallo
May 11th 2011, 17:10
In all fairness, once you get hold of them, as always fast and friendly :)
Sarah Mifsud
May 11th 2011, 17:34
did u get through yet?
Josephine Farrugia
May 11th 2011, 17:42
The number seems to be busy now?!
Ms C Grima
May 11th 2011, 18:18
62 minutes and counting..
Ms C Schembri
May 11th 2011, 21:19
believe it or not ... i havent got thru till this very minute!!!!