Maltese MPs criticise report on euthanasia

Two of the Maltese MPs, Ms D'Amato and Mr Falzon, addressed the Parliamentary Assembly on April 27, during the debate on "Assistance to patients at end of life"

Ms D'Amato said that the Marty report on the issue of euthanasia has been coming and going through the different committees and even general assembly, for a number of times. However, she said, "notwithstanding the changes made to the draft resolution, making this last version somewhat softer, the general thrust of this resolution aims to encourage the legalisation of euthanasia in member states of the Council of Europe."

What she found disturbing in the resolution, among other things, "is that:

"1. It strives to regulate procedures leading to euthanasia on the basis that various forms of euthansia are practised in a clandestine manner. In principle this means that we are accepting euthanasia as a practice.

"2. We should be regulating matters so that euthanasia is prevented from developing in a 'shroud of secrecy and outdated norms'. What do we mean here? That since we cannot curb these illegal practices, we should in turn legalise euthanasia?

"3. The issue of transparency in procedures is also brought up.

"Where euthanasia has been legalised, it seems that it has not produced the transparency and results it meant to achieve." Quoting from the memorandum that Mr McNamara prepared for the Legal Affairs Committee, she said that in the Netherlands, only 54 per cent of cases of euthanasia were reported to the regulatory authority and only one per cent of life- terminating treatment without explicit request of the patients is reported.

Even more concerning, according to the memorandum, 10 to 15 infants a year are put to death. "Where this is happening," she continued, "it is legal to practise euthanasia, but it is illegal to practise it on persons under the age of 12. So with the same logic, should we have a resolution encouraging member states to regulate this practice (since we know that it is happening) so that it does not develop in a shroud of secrecy, so that it doesn't happen in a clandestine manner and also for the sake of transparency? Surely not!"

What the Council of Europe should be doing is to inform the public of the dangers associated with euthanasia and not push for it to make it legal, that it might become the norm and give easy ways out, Ms D'Amato insisted.

"What we should be reaffirming is that we safeguard the dignity and the rights of people at this very vulnerable stage at the end of life. What we should be doing is that we make sure that patients and their relatives have access to palliative care that is adequate and affordable.

"I feel that this assembly should not leave any doors, whether wide oper or ajar, to encourage the legalisation of euthanasia... the message that should come out of this Assembly is pro-life and not pro-death," Ms D'Amato concluded.

Mr Falzon said that euthanasia has always to be seen in bioethical terms with major social and personal implications. Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical Evangelium vitae, upheld statements made by previous Popes that human life is God's creation and is sacred, the primacy of the individual in relation to society; and the duty of those in authority to respect human life.

The late Pope defined euthanasia as "an action or an omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death, in order that all suffering may in this way be eliminated". The Church moral judgement on euthanasia is clear and categorical, Mr Falzon said, again quoting from the encyclical: "Nothing and no one can in any way permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a foetus or an embryo, an infant or an adult, an old person, or one suffering from an incurable disease, or a person who is dying.

Furthermore, no one is permitted to ask for this act of killing, either for himself or herself or for another person entrusted to his or her care, nor can he or she consent to it, either explicitly or implicitly. Nor can any authority legitimately recommend or permit such an action. For it is a question of the violation of the divine law, an offence against the dignity of the human person, a crime against life, and an attack on humanity."

Both suicide and what is termed "assisted suicide" are condemned, as for Christians, the rejection of euthanasia and suicide is grounded in faith and hope in Christ, who, through his suffering and resurrection, brought new meaning to human existence and human suffering, Mr Falzon went on.

"The Church has made the point that the occasional death pleas from gravely ill people are not to be understood as implying a true desire for euthanasia but almost always as indirect pleas not merely for appropriate medical care but for more attention and interest from those around them. The sick person who feels surrounded by a loving human and Christian presence does not give way to depression and anguish as would be the case if one were left to suffer and die alone. This is why euthanasia is a defeat for the one who propose it, decides it and carries it out," Mr Falzon stressed.

"Victory is achieved when one has done everything for one's family or patient to relieve pain and suffering without resorting to killing. It is a psychological defeat, which one has to bear for one's whole life, when one has to perform euthanasia because services by trained individuals or by family and community are inadequate. This important fact has to be borne in mind by everybody, because studies show that where palliative care is efficient euthanasia is neither needed nor requested," Mr Falzon concluded.

Buildings should be energy-efficient

Mr Falzon, addressing the previous day's session of the Parliamentary Assembly on "Energy Systems and the Environment", said Malta is facing difficult and contrasting issues regarding energy pollutants affecting land use.

Energy issues are becoming increasingly important for Malta, and a major challengefor MEPA, he said.

Mr Falzon, who is an architect by profession referred to the "excellent example in the introduction of Bill Etherington's report: "by using an air-conditioning system to cool down a room, we release through the radiator, outside of the building, the losses of the conversion process as heat. So on the whole, instead of decreasing the temperature we are actually contributing to an increase in the global temperature of the environment."

Mr Falzon continued: "Buildings, whether domestic, industrial or commercial, should be designed 'energy-efficient' so that their users will reduce, if not eliminate, the demand for conventional energy sources. In most cases, the use of conventional energy can be substituted by other forms of energy, which contribute positively to the environment.

"In various areas around the world densely residential accommodation is located a few metres away from industrial zones. Emissions from fuels in such areas are making living conditions untenable and are definitely a heath hazard to residents. Small countries have even greater disadvantages due to restricted land use, so they definitely need aid and support from the European Union. It is thus beneficial for all nations to look forward and seek technological innovations in renewable energy sources."

Mr Falzon urged the Parliamentary Assembly to support the EU's commitment to promote and ensure environment-friendly energy choices. He said national governments must take all legislative and fiscal measures needed to develop new sustainable renewable energy policies and to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, which have serious environmental consequences.