Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party has said that it supports the appeal launched by Malta Olympic Committee President Judge Lino Farrugia Sacco and Secretary General Joseph Cassar.

Christian Holland, Alternattiva Demokratika Spokesperson on Sports, said, “Between the 1st and the 6th of June this year, 120 Maltese athletes and officials will be representing our country abroad in the Small Nations’ Games. The event coincides with the holding of European elections and Local Council Elections on Saturday 6 June, which would make it impossible for all our athletes to vote.”

“Alternattiva Demokratika is asking the electoral commmission to make special arrangements to give the possibility to the athletes representing our country to exercise their right to vote a week or so before the 6 June, before they leave our country.”

Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, added, “We have already had a similar problem in the 2003 EU referendum when the Malta Waterpolo team was competing in the European championships.”

“Apart from the athletes’ right to vote, we simply cannot afford to have them abandoning international sports competitions in order to vote. This would cause great harm to the image and reputation of our country. A country which values democracy should strive to make excercising the right to vote as easy as possible for its citizens,” concluded Prof. Cassola.