The chairman of the Divorce Movement, Deborah Schembri, said today that her movement was not speaking about negative aspects of divorce because the negative aspects actually came before, in separation proceedings which the country already had.

She told a televised press conference that divorce would recognise a reality which already existed. 

She likened the marriage-breakdown situation to a four-storey building, with separation being the third floor.  All problems faced by the couple cropped up in the first two floors and, by the time a separation agreement was reached, most problems were ironed out.

Divorce legislation would be the fourth floor that would give people a chance to re-marry and protect their legal rights.

“Divorce is a certificate that the relationship is over. It is recognising a reality.... It’s not the death certificate that people mourn,  but the death,” she said as she illustrated her train of thought with examples.

Dr Schembri urged people to vote yes if they wanted to help those who were stuck in a bad marriage. She insisted that those who did not want to divorce did not have to opt for it.

The Divorce Movement leader again called on the government to explain its plans for a cohabitation law.

“Having a cohabitation law without divorce is the closest we can get to bigamy,” she said.

She elaborated that separated couples still had a duty to be faithful towards their estranged spouses whereas cohabitation regulated their partnership. Divorce would sever the link between spouses.

She said that politicians had openly said they believed that, even if the referendum was lost, future generations would be in favour of divorce. She felt it was unfair that they knew this yet delayed its introduction to the detriment of those who were suffering in broken marriages today.

She reiterated that, according to the proposed law, a couple had to be separated for four years (de facto of legally) to be able to obtain a divorce.

All the uncomfortable legal issues, such as maintenance, custody and separation of assets were decided in the separation contract what would remain valid for the purposes of divorce.