Asked whether the MGRM (Malta Gay Rights Movement) sees same-sex marriage as a realistic prospect any time soon, MGRM’s Gaby Calleja said: “Currently, the two major political parties are proposing cohabitation rights but this is bare minimum legal recognition and is very limited in the rights it would give to LGBT couples (September 29).

“More is required and this is what we are pushing for”. The reality is that not one Member of Parliament, and nobody from the government side is prepared to even dare propose cohabitation rights.

The so-called “proposals” – which to my knowledge have never even been declared in any of the other parties’ electoral programmes – will never be turned into concrete legislative proposals in the current scenario. One can “push for more” when there is at least something to start with.

Today we do not even have the basics in place whether it be for separated couples who wish to be able to regulate their legal position through divorce, or legal rights and protection for the most vulnerable party in any relationship whether same-sex or not.

Our Parliament is not simply conservative – on such issues it can even be called mediaeval.