EU campaign to introduce abortion - a 'waste of time'

The initiative by a group of MEPs to force countries like Malta to introduce abortion as a right is considered to be a "waste of time" because of the various provisions in the law that enable the Maltese government to take such decisions itself.

Gift of Life pro-life campaigner Paul Vincenti said that although he was not worried about the campaign, it could inspire Maltese liberals to start calling for abortion and this would create political pressure.

Legal sources explained that Malta's EU accession protocal on abortion is "supreme" and cannot be overriden.

The protocol states that "nothing in the Treaty on European Union, or in the Treaties establishing the European Comm-unities, or in the Treaties or Acts modifying or supplementing those Treaties, shall affect the application in the territory of Malta of national legislation relating to abortion".

This view was shared by philosopher Kenneth Wain who said that while people can collect signatures for anything, their call will not have any legal impli-cations since the EU is not enabled to do something like that.

Ethicist Fr Peter Seraccino Inglott explained that there are several provisions and protocols that ensure abortion could never be imposed on the Maltese government.

He said the only possibility would be for a woman to take the Maltese government to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg saying that her pregnancy has endangered her psychological health.

However, even if she won such a case it would be difficult for this to have any implication for Maltese law.

Fr Seraccino Inglott said that even if the European Charter of Fundamental Human Rights were changed to refer to abortion as a woman's right, there are several provisions that ensure these are interpreted within the national legal tradition.

He added that Malta's position would be very strong if this were to develop into a legal battle.

"On this particular issue, it's not just the government... there's such a strong feeling against abortion, it's not like divorce. They can't impose it but obvious-ly it's an attempt to put pressure on the Maltese govern-ment."

The "Make Noise for Free Choice Campaign" has so far attracted 3,500 signatures through its website on www.makenoiseforfreechoice.eu.

The campaigners argue that when a state denies a woman the right to her own body, integrity and health, it is a violation of her human rights.

"A cornerstone of the EU is to work for gender equality and health. Therefore, women who lack the access to free, legal and safe abortions in the EU countries such as Ireland, Malta and Poland, can no longer be ignored.

"The governments of these countries must be put under pressure," according to a state-ment on the website.

This initiative is being taken under a "citizen's initiative" clause provided by the new Lisbon Treaty by which a million people can call upon the European Commission to legislate in a particular area.