Women’s Rights Foundation director Lara Dimitrijevic.

The Office of the President would not commit itself whether a pro-abortion lobby group would be eligible to receive more funds from the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation.

A spokesman for President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca told the Times of Malta every application would be “considered on its merit”.

The Women’s Rights Foundation last March launched a campaign promoting the introduction of abortion in Malta. The call was made through a position paper that prompted fierce criticism from pro-life groups.

The debate was rekindled last week after Women’s Rights Foundation director Lara Dimitrijevic said that “abortion needs to be on the agenda”.

The comment was made in an interview with the Sunday Circle magazine, which is distributed with The Sunday Times of Malta.

Pro-life activists pointed out on social media, particularly Facebook, that, in 2016, the Women’s Rights Foundation had benefitted from funds distributed by the MCCFF’s Fund for Voluntary Organisations.

Many declared that, should that happen again, they would no longer donate money during the annual charity telethon L-Istrina.

Doing so would be tantamount to using the funds raised for charity to promote an organisation spurring a campaign for the introduction of abortion, they argued.

Applications for funding received by the MCCFF will be considered on merit

In the circumstances, this newspaper enquired whether the Women’s Rights Foundation would be eligible for further funding. The spokesman for the Office of the President, which administers the MCCFF, said that, in order to be eligible, NGOs needed to file an application outlining the purpose of their request and the manner in which the funds would be used for the implementation of specific social projects.

As for the funds granted in 2016, he noted it was in line with an agreement signed between MCCFF’s chairman, John Camilleri, and the organisations Men Against Violence and the Women’s Rights Foundation.

The agreement provided for €25,000 to be made available to complete a study themed ‘Sexual harassment at the workplace – problems and practical solutions’.

The findings had been reported in an article this newspaper carried last January, the spokesman added.

“Any further applications for funding received by the MCCFF will be considered on merit,” he remarked.

Asked if that meant that the pro-abortion lobby group might still be eligible for funding, the spokesman declined to comment saying there was nothing to add.