Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/847822
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 2017 5 News At least five candidates seek to take Comodini Cachia's seat in the European Parliament MIRIAM DALLI FORMER MP Francis Zammit Dimech, Ray Bugeja, Norman Vella, Jonathan Shaw and Helga Ellul will all be submitting their nomination for the casual elec- tion for the European Parliament seat vacated by Therese Comod- ini Cachia, who is now a member of the Maltese parliament. All five have confirmed with MaltaToday that they will be submitting their nomination. They all argued that their candi- dature was still valid. Shaw told MaltaToday: "In my case chances of being elected are practically non-existent. Yet, I will submit my nomination as a sign of continuity to my candi- dature in the MEP election and also as an acknowledgement to those who had voted for me." Both Kevin Plumpton and Ste- fano Mallia said they would not be throwing their hat in the ring again. Mallia said: "No I will not. Since then I have taken on a number of other commitments and respon- sibilities which I need to respect. I also represent Malta's employer bodies on the European Eco- nomic and Social Committee in Brussels which I would like to continue doing to the best of my ability." On his part, Gozitan candidate Kevin Cutajar said that he had not yet decided. Zammit Dimech is considered to be the favourite to win the casual election, having garnered 8,660 first preference votes. However, everything depends on how people voted on Como- dini Cachia's ballot sheet as it is her packet of 29,580 votes that will be opened and distributed among the candidates according to the voters' preference. Comodini Cachia has reluc- tantly vacated her seat in Brus- sels, having first told voters that she would relinquish her seat in Malta to stay on as MEP, claim- ing her mission will be "to re- build Malta's reputation abroad". The human rights lawyer was elected on the eighth district with 4,244 votes on the 22nd count. But after the controversial deci- sion raised the ire of PN voters, Comodini Cachia said she had decided to choose Malta. Opponents of Marriage Equality Bill protest 'Marxist law' YANNICK PACE SOME 200 people attended a silent protest or- ganised last night in opposition to the Marriage Equality Bill which has been discussed by par- liament. The bill is expected to be voted into law this evening, with both sides of the house having stated they were in favour of the law. The protestors met in Castille Square where placards reading "Allow a conscience vote", "Keep Husband and Wife" and "Mother is not equal to Father", were handed out – mainly re- ferring to the terminology of the bill. Among those present for the protest were Miriam Sciberras of the Life Network Foun- dation, Gift of Life spokesman Paul Vincenti, Moviment Patrijotti Maltin leader Henry Bat- tistino and pastor Gordon Manche. In comments to MaltaToday, Vincenti de- scribed the law's gender-neutral language as going "beyond equality", and impinging on the rights of others. "We are here to defend what centuries of his- tory, tradition, ethics, morality, philosophy, and science, that the proper place for society to be healthy and for children to be born, is one where marriage is built on the relationship be- tween a man a woman," said Vincenti. He insisted that any individual should have the right to be listed as a father or mother of a child on a birth certificate, and that all individuals should have the right to conscientiously object to providing services to same-sex couples. This, he said, was akin to communism. "Communism never made it until the 1930s, and was reintroduced back into society in a sub- tle way using the vehicle of democracy and so- called freedom of speech," he continued. On her part, Sciberras said that the law was a deceitful and discriminatory law since the gov- ernment, she said, had originally said the law would only be "a change in name". "In reality, a 37-page law is a lot more than a change in name" she said. "There was no need to remove the terms mother and father and had it really been about inclusion it would have given an option and everyone would have been happy." Sciberras added that the law represented an attempt to create a gender-neutral society. "When we talk about the role of a mother and father, will these cease to exist? This is a deceit- ful philosophy being imposed on the nation." Those present expressed their anger at MPs on both sides of the House, who they said had be- trayed them by failing to represent their views in parliament. They insisted that the law was an assault on family values and would lead to a "slippery slope" resulting in the loss of the terms mother and father from the language used by society. The protestors walked from Castille to the parliament building were Philip Beattie from Coalition for Life, Marriage and the Family said that the nation's future and that of its children would be determined in parliament without there having been any discussion or consulta- tion. He said the law removed the basic concept of "natural marriage" by attacking fundamental values the Maltese people have cherished for years. He too argued that the law removed freedom of expression. "We are not protected under this law," he said, adding that opposing the law could lead to criminal proceedings. He said he never thought that he would live in a country that cherished communist and totali- tarian values. He said he could believe that members of par- liament would be prevented from expressing their true beliefs on the matter, insisting that MP Edwin Vassallo was the only member of parliament who had the courage to stand up for what was right. "Edwin is a beacon of courage. Maltese people of good will are behind you Edwin," said Beattie to rapturous applause. The protest ended with three minutes of si- lence, and Gordon Manche singing the national anthem. Ray Bugeja Francis Zammit Dimech CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Mal- taToday has already reported that Mizzi planned to hive off Air Malta's landing rights in- to a new company – a sign of how Mizzi plans to do things differently from his predeces- sor, Edward Zammit Lewis. Landing rights in airports that are already at over- capacity, such as London Heathrow, are crucial gains for airlines seeking slots for profitable routes. Air Malta's take-off and landing slots at Heathrow, the world's second-busiest inter- national airport and the main access point for the British economy, come with price- tags as high as €70 million for a pair. The price itself re- flects capacity constraints at Heathrow. Malta may give up Heathrow landing slots Helga Ellul