Press Release 10/04/24

Life Network urges all Maltese MEPs to vote against proposal of “right to abortion” in upcoming vote on EU Fundamental Rights Charter, citing misinformation, Malta-EU Assentation Treaty, EU Law, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The draft proposal to include the right to abortion in the EU Fundamental Rights Charter, includes misinformation in regard to the laws of Malta. In Malta there are no restrictions regarding medical lifesaving treatments available to women who are pregnant[1], as is claimed in the draft proposal. Further to this, Malta has the same maternal mortality rate as the EU average[2], demonstrating top quality maternity care.

The pressure being placed on Malta by the European Parliament, is highly inappropriate in light of the EU-Malta accession Treaty 2003, whereby “nothing … shall affect the application in the territory of Malta of national legislation relating to abortion”[3].

While the European Parliament may vote on amending the Charter, it has no competence (legal right) to change the Charter, as all changes to the Charter must be agreed unanimously by each member state, not the European Parliament.

The draft proposal uses the language of human rights, even though the Universal Declaration of Human Right makes no reference to abortion, but rather states that “equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”[4]. To deny the humanity of one group within the human family, in this case unborn babies, is a travesty of justice.

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It is particularly concerning that Maltese MEP Cyrus Engerer, is one of the proposers[5] of the draft which explicitly criticises Malta, in light of the fact that the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and every member of the Maltese Parliament only last year, voted unanimously in favour of the current law in Malta relating to the protection of mothers and their unborn babies.

The reference in the draft to people choosing “how to have children” seems to advocate for some form of right to surrogacy where women are used as incubators and babies are commodities.

Life Network encourages all to recognise that medical advancements have made it even clearer that an unborn baby, at every stage of development, is always a human being, and as such has inalienable rights and deserves protection. Abortion does not protect women, but rather takes the lives of women, along with men, in the womb, while hurting mothers. The way forward is to support women in their pregnancies and help them become great mothers to their children.

Dr Miriam Sciberras, CEO of Life Network said:
“This draft proposal, and all those who support and vote for it, are advocating for abortion up to the full 9-month gestation with no restrictions at all, as a matter of choice. I urge all Maltese MEPs to proudly vote against it”.

“This draft proposal, framed in human rights language, is the antithesis of human rights. It attempts to dehumanise the unborn child, giving him or her no rights whatsoever and turning children into commodities”.