Divorce referendum ‘not political’ - Gonzi

Speaking during a press conference dealing with an overview of the Government’s performance over the past three years, Gonzi said that Frans Borg’s leave of absence ahead of the referendum is not in breach of the public service code of conduct.

Earlier this month, MaltaToday reported that Frans Borg, formerly Permanent Secretary in the Social Policy Ministry, has taken two months’ vacation leave ahead of the referendum, at a time when he is also formally militating within the campaign lobby group Zwieg Bla Divorzju.

Gonzi said that the referendum campaign “is not an electoral campaign” and that “we are trying to encourage people to participate in the campaign, and not deny them from doing this.”

He categorically maintained that Borg’s participation within the divorce debate in a direct manner does not constitute a breach of public service ethics, which however spells out that:

“It is of the utmost importance that Ministerial and public confidence in the impartiality of the Public Service shall not be impaired in any way. For this reason, activity in the political field, legitimately open to the ordinary citizen, is not considered compatible with the holding of certain posts in the Public Service.” (Section 2 of the code, updated January 2011)

Gonzi confirmed that the leave was applied for and granted through the proper channels.

However, directives issued by the Broadcasting Authority have imposed particular directives on local broadcasters with regard to the coverage they provide to the divorce debate and referendum. In its directives, the Broadcasting Authority considered the debate a political one and applied directives that usually are invoked during a political campaign.

Frans Borg has represented this lobby in formal meetings with the Broadcasting Authority, and has also signed correspondence on behalf of a group which is officially campaigning for a ‘No’ vote in the May 28 referendum.

Dr Godwin Grima, head of the Civil service and author of the above mentioned amendments to the code, also saw no contradiction between Borg’s involvement in the referendum campaign, and his role as deputy secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers (among other prominent public service positions).

“The introduction of divorce in Malta is not considered to be of a party political nature,” Dr Grima told MaltaToday.