The Divorce Movement has filed a Constitutional application against the Broadcasting Authority, saying the Authority's decision to ban TV spots featuring comments by Mgr Charles Vella on divorce was a form of censorship which denied the movement its freedom of expression.

The movement said the comments by Mgr Vella were first broadcast by One TV on the programme Bla Agenda and the permission of the producers and the TV station had been sought for the spot.

The TV spot was originally approved by the Broadcasting Authority and it was broadcast on May 12 and 13 before being stopped y the Authority at the request of Mgr Vella.

Such a ban, the movement said, denied it its freedom of expression about information which was in the public domain. It said the opinion expressed by Mgr Vella was repeated by Mgr Vella himself on other media including the newspapers.

The movement called on the Court to order the Broadcasting Authority to allow it to broadcast the spots as originally planned, and before the divorce referendum is held.

Among other things, Mgr Vella, who is the founder of the Cana Movement, had said he was not scared by divorce because of his belief in the sanctity and indispensability of marriage, but people who could not deliver such a level of commitment should have the right to choose an alternative marriage.