Government should withdraw abortion amendment, Bernard Grech says

Opposition leader Bernard Grech said that government should withdraw its bill amending the criminal code to allow for abortions when the woman’s life and health is at stake.

Speaking on Net TV on Sunday, Grech said that Prime Minister Robert Abela is ignoring people’s concerns, including that of Labour heavywieght and President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, by keeping the bill on the parliamentary agenda.

Grech pointed out that several academics have criticised the bill for being too wide in its interpretation of health.

“Abela thinks that he is the only one who knows what should be done. He’s ignoring the fact that Maltese society is begging to move forward, but wants to make sure that everyone’s rights are being looked after. Robert Abela is not interested in life.”

Grech added that Abela should have withdrawn the bill in the face of all the criticism being leveraged against it.

He also said that the Nationalist Party will be voting against the bill in its second reading in parliament on Monday.

“As a parliamentary group, the Nationalist Party will be fulfilling its duty to the Maltese and Gozitan people and will be voting against this amendment, which does not save the life of the mother or baby.”

The Labour government's bill was the subject of heated debate in recent weeks. An anti-abortion march in Valletta attracted thousands of people, including Nationalist Party politicians, members of the clergy, and other personalities like River of Love pastor Gordon Manche. 

The main concern, as brought up by a group of academics, was that the definition of 'health' in the bill was too wide and would include mental health as grounds for abortion. 

This was shot down by Health Minister Chris Fearne and Abela himself, who both argued that the health of the mother should be a priority in the amendment.