Cohabitation Bill to feature registration of gay couples
The Cohabitation Bill, due to be announced later today by Justice Minister Chris Said, will provide for some rights to gay couples, but it will be far from recognition of gay partnerships, informed sources said.
The Bill is expected to provide for registration of gay couples. As a consequence, a gay partner from a non-EU country would enjoy work and residence rights in Malta, the sources said.
Registered couples would also enjoy next of kin rights, such as hospital visitation rights when such rights are limited to immediate family.
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Lino Busuttil
Aug 30th 2012, 23:40
This is the form of law Dr Fenech Adami probably mentioned some 20 years ago. It would have been good then as a start. But today just "a start" is not acceptable by gays and homosexual couples. This is the problem with this government, it does not realse that by the time they move to do something further from the original talk of yesteryears the world is changing fast leaving them behind like old dinasours. The tide has passed.
Agree or not with gay rights this is an administration flop of a sleeping government.
Colin Stanley
Aug 29th 2012, 10:10
As a consequence, a non EU partner will enjoy rights in Malta, so it should be. but can this be abused? I mean how long must they be together, what happens if after he is entitled to such rights, he just ups and leave his Maltese partner, is he sent back to where he comes from? because at the moment we have a lot of non EU citizens here !!
Mark Barnes
Aug 29th 2012, 08:52
Registration - akin to a dog licence! What next..........micro chips?
Malta, wake up! It's time to treat all of your cittizens equally, with respect, dignity and value.
Charles Grixti
Aug 28th 2012, 20:22
So hetero couples do not need to be registered but gays do? Does not make any sense.
In many countries, all that is need is for the couple to produce proof that they cohabit, such as bank statements, utility bills etc showing the same residence.
C Attard
Aug 28th 2012, 19:36
What is good in cohabition for straight couples, should be good for gays and lesbians too. What I don't agree is that married couples and cohabited couples should be put in the same shoes. Now we do not have any more excuses that we do not have the right to divorce. Now one can divorce and re marry again.
Still I cannot see all this hurry to announce such important bills. What haven't been done in 5 years is trying to be done in 5 months???? And what is the thing that a gay partner from a non-EU country would enjoy work and residence rights in Malta ???? Are we kidding??? It's not the fact of the gay, but the fact that there are no legal obligations. If not mistaken, in Maltese law there is nothing which says that IF STILL LEGALLY MARRIED one cannot cohabit with someone else, or that if married to a man I cannot still be a lesbian. So if I want to do a favour to a friend of mine, and I am still registered as married, I will go to register my lesbian affair and the other party can come over to Malta with a working permit.....I HOPE I AM WRONG !!
John J Borg
Aug 28th 2012, 19:22
xi hlew..ftit ftit se jkollna minn kollox !!
Jonathan Camilleri
Aug 28th 2012, 20:11
Fl-ahhar...
Charles Massa
Aug 28th 2012, 17:28
Gella l elezzjoni.................issa hafna ghaggla biex jghaddi ligijiet wara 25 sena rieqed fil-gvern
Barney Camilleri
Aug 28th 2012, 15:23
Sir,
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Press freedom to write comment! What a joke.
Ms Jessica Spiteri
Aug 28th 2012, 15:02
It's like living in Pakistan....
B Attard
Aug 28th 2012, 14:44
Mela hafna koppji kienu jaghzlu li jibqu poggutti sabiex f'kas ta' 'separazzjoni' ma jkunx hemm hassle ta' qorti u b'din il-ligi se nigu koppi ghax xorta se jispicca jieklu u jixxalaw l-avukati u l-qorti. Qerq u ngann nsejjahlu dan.
pat muscat
Aug 28th 2012, 13:39
' some rights' and'registration of gay couple'...incredible...in the year 2012?
An other proof, if there is need of proof, that GonziPN is stuck in the past! Gays of Malta unite and vote for the Party that will set completely free!
Luke Lanzon
Aug 28th 2012, 23:53
Exactly vote green...... vote for an actual liberal party not a fake progressive (red) or a catholic conservative (blue)
Rachael Tedesco Triccas
Aug 28th 2012, 13:29
''Unless you are prepared to say that gays and lesbians are not human beings, they should have the same constitutional right of any other human being'' - Rev. Al Sharpton.
Karl Consiglio
Aug 28th 2012, 12:56
I think they're more like lefts than rights.
Barney Camilleri
Aug 28th 2012, 12:53
It make me feel like crying seeing how limited is my say!
What is this dam political non sense? Let everyone do what he like in private but not make it official. Who on earth is governing this country the few loud mouths?
If we have true freedom of the press I tell you all: 'go to hell' because that's where you belong.
What make us a free country because we give the rights to the few. Yet the South of Malta is ignored. Where are the projects? where is the pharmacy of your choice? come see our living conditions? have we became so crazy that even the interest of the majority is not even found in the gutter.
Shame to you all false pretenders who only care for your seat, parliament pension, and the blow job that you get for the day.
Salvinu Buttigieg
Aug 28th 2012, 12:51
I suppose the next thing the Lesbians and gays want is a subsidie bank loan for first time home buyers eh?
Martin Saliba
Aug 28th 2012, 16:42
And why not ? There are people , parasites is probably the correct word , that live off our taxes and get subsidised bank loans. Why shouldnt LGBT people who work hard and pay their dues not get what straight theives do ?
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Aug 28th 2012, 18:06
Salvinu, try to understand tis, if you can: gay people are people too, just like you. They have mopthers, fathers, sisters and brothers, etc. They work, they pay taxes and they vote. So why on earth should they not have the right a to a loan as a first time buyer? What does thier sexuL LEANINGS AVE TO DO WITH THIS? sO MANY MARRIED MEN ARE PERVERTS IN THE BEDROOM - AND THEY GET LOANS, DON;T THEY? What decent reason do you have to deny these people (who could be your son or daughter) to have sUch an opportunity? And tell me, do you regularly go to mass on Sunday? Yes, I thought so. Please next time go to confession and tell the priest how much you hate gay people -who are also God's creations.
Maria Borg
Aug 30th 2012, 11:44
If homosexual couples get subsidie bank loans to buy their first home then why not singles too? A single person needs more help since it has only why salary. Single persons are people too!
George Calleja
Aug 28th 2012, 12:50
Dawk kollha li qed jipprotestaw dwar din il-ligi huma arroganti ghax qed jippretendu li jiehdu dak li ma haqqhomx .Mis-seba jridu jiehdu l-id!!!!!
Etienne Camilleri
Aug 28th 2012, 16:13
int min int biex tideciedi x'haqqhom u ma haqqomx! ISTHI!
John L Galea
Aug 28th 2012, 12:32
homosexual people pay taxes as heterosexual people.
Up to now homosexual people get nothing in return while funding heterosexual people rights.
Such a half baked bill it won't solve any injustices towards homosexual people.
I ask the all the bigots lurking around: What difference does it make to you if a gay couple is legally recognised? Or you just want them to continue funding your rights?
M. Attard
Aug 28th 2012, 12:24
The "some rights" will be just approved so that the PN won't have another turn down in parliament. Other then that do not be thankful to them.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Aug 28th 2012, 12:22
Another 'compromise law' - just like the IVF bill. Mr Said, you need to decide whether you are a minister of the State or a minister of the Catholioc church.
John Vella
Aug 28th 2012, 12:17
giving a biscuit to a toddler to keep quite might work.......but please don't treat gays as toddlers...
Karl Brincat
Aug 28th 2012, 12:16
Well done ... sounds like a positive step in the right direction. Looking forward to seeing the full text.
joe cutajar
Aug 28th 2012, 12:14
jja bizzejjed daqsejk xintom tiprenendu
Tonio Micallef
Aug 28th 2012, 12:11
Din gejja bhal 'ta' l-IVF. Legislazzjoni nofs kedda! Jippruvaw jinghogbu m'Alla u max-xitan! X'faqar ta' gvern!
David Caruana
Aug 28th 2012, 12:02
'Some' rights is not good enough.
The PN, as usual, comes out as the confessional party led by conservatards. They try to appease everyone and fail miserably.
Homosexuals are people like everyone else - they deserve FULL rights and not just 'some'.
Louis Cutajar
Aug 28th 2012, 12:00
U x'jsir biex insaħħu l-familja Maltija?
L Zerafa
Aug 28th 2012, 13:47
This clearly would strengthen families. Gay families, but families none the less.
twanny borg
Aug 28th 2012, 11:56
importanti li ma tintuzax il-kelma ZWIEG.
Jamie Cutajar
Aug 28th 2012, 11:54
Would this also mean that they have limited tax liability too? Gay couples must not be treated like second class citizens. It is absolutely ridiculous that Malta would have a Gay Couples Register - it is patently a discriminatory practice.
Charles Bayliss
Aug 28th 2012, 11:53
NO THANK YOU ... YOU CAN KEEP YOUR COHABITION BILL. THIS IS AN INSULT TO US GAY CITIZENS. WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO? BAIT FOR THE ELECTIONS? NO WAY. NO VOTE FROM ME THIS TIME.
Dennis Zammit
Aug 28th 2012, 12:10
So what do you expect? Same rights as marriage?
NO WAY !!!
Desiree Curmi
Aug 28th 2012, 12:23
And could you kindly indicate why not Dennis? Why shouldn't gay couples enjoy the same rights that you and I enjoy??
John Vella
Aug 28th 2012, 12:25
@dennis... Damn right the same rights as marriage.......Why do I have i the right to marry and a gay person not.....Or are we heterosexuals, the chosen ones .....
John L Galea
Aug 28th 2012, 12:34
@ Charles Bayliss: Yes it is an election bait for those which are easily fooled.
@Dennis Zammit: BIGOT!!!! What makes you think you have more rights than others?
David Caruana
Aug 28th 2012, 12:36
No way?!?!
Just wait and see dear Dennis. Giving less rights to a person solely due to their sexual orientation is barbaric.
If you don't want gay marriage, don't have one, but others should be allowed and protected by the State to do so.
anton cassar
Aug 28th 2012, 12:40
@ Dennis Sammut...Why not the same rights .What do you have more than these people have ?
Donna Parnis
Aug 28th 2012, 12:41
Dear Dennis everyone should have the same rights. It should not count on what gender you are, This is the church putting its input in yet again, I totally agree with Charles this is an INSULT.
Joseph Mizzi
Aug 28th 2012, 11:51
And did this Bill get Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando's approval? Has it been stamped "OK to proceed"? Will "recognition of gay partnerships" be one of the "minor tweaks" to the proposed legislation?
Rachel Borg
Aug 28th 2012, 11:44
this is ridiculous. how are we going to proof that they are gay?
C. Bonnici
Aug 28th 2012, 11:52
Well said Rachel !
Jeremy Azzopardi
Aug 28th 2012, 11:55
The same way you prove that a man and a woman getting married are both straight.
Mario Ellul
Aug 28th 2012, 11:56
Well said Jeremy!
R Saliba
Aug 28th 2012, 12:06
@ Jeremy Azzopardi:
Great answer
@Rachel Borg and C. Bonnici:
have you ever heard of couples (a man and a woman) getting married, having kids, and than one fine day the man or woman goes up to their partner saying "honey we better split coz I'm gay"?
So no it's not ridiculous - why can't a gay couple have the same rights a married couple? sometimes, and this is just my personal opinion, gay couples respect one other more than a straight couple who've been married or together for years! They are normal human beigins like me and you so should have the same rights as any other human beigin - their not animals!
Martin Saliba
Aug 28th 2012, 13:47
Rachel , the same way that yo would prove that you are not gay allthought there are countless people who say that they are straight but are as gay as a rainbow.
C Azzopardi
Aug 28th 2012, 11:39
I love it... 'will provide for some rights to gay couples'
Yea sure, let's treat them like crap and not like human beings, because their blood is different...
Karl Consiglio
Aug 28th 2012, 11:37
Not much but its a start.
Malicia Dabrowicz
Aug 28th 2012, 12:14
Sorry Karl. Its not a start. It is outrageous that in this time and age we still have to argue about basics: divorce, invitro, gay rights. Divorce is one of the strictests in the world. We have ministry doing everything to make it next to impossible for women to enjoy safe and affordable invitro. Gays will be given `some rights`. We still have censorships on arts. What makes me furious is that politicians on this island say morality, ethics, christian values but what they do has nothing to do with morality ethics and values. LIke they dont see that maltese people are human beings too. Duh!
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