The Malta Humanist Association said today that it was concerned at what appeared to be undue pressure placed on members of parliament ahead of the vote on the civil unions bill.

Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna in an interview has warned Catholic MPs that voting in favour of this bill, and with the right of same-sex children to adopt children, constitutes a ‘grave immoral act’.

"The Catholic lawmaker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against the bill", he said.

The association said that like all other citizens, Mgr Scicluna was fully entitled to his views, and the Constitution granted him the right to express them freely. But the same Constitution also guaranteed and protected the rights and freedoms of minorities.

The oath which MPs took upon assuming office was of fealty to the Maltese Republic.

"The Republic of Malta comprises more faiths and creeds than Catholicism alone, and also includes people who do not identify with any religion at all. As a consequence, Maltese MPs – be they Catholic or otherwise – have a legal and moral obligation not to legislate in any way that might impinge on the rights of these and other minority groups.

"This same obligation lies at the heart of the much-maligned political principle of secularism, which has variously been misrepresented in Malta. Secularism does not mean that legislators are not free to practise their own religion and retain their own views; it merely means that – when passing legislation that will bind all citizens, regardless of creed – legislators must be mindful not to wittingly or unwittingly discriminate against minorities with different opinions," the association said. 

It welcomed statements made by MPs on both sides of the house – including Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Deputy Opposition leader Mario de Marco which reaffirmed parliament’s commitment to protect minority rights, as well as its obligation to create a truly inclusive society.