Rosianne Cutajar voices opposition to new abortion Bill

Independent MP Rosianne Cutajar has voiced her opposition towards the new abortion Bill amendment.

The MP requested the Speaker Anglu Farrugia allow her to verbalise her vote, a request which was turned down, saying she could not “reactivate” a Bill which had already been passed.

Cutajar also said in a Facebook post she wanted to make the statement as a division was not requested, and the vote was not taken electronically.

“One wonders, maybe there was the fear that not every MP would be voting in favour?” Cutajar said.

She also said her request to make the statement was turned down by the Opposition.

Earlier on Wednesday, parliament voted unanimously in favour of the new amendment.

The MP continued to state that she had fully agreed with the previous amendment, as she felt it was a step forward “despite it being the bare minimum.”

“Unfortunately, it was not explained as it should have, leading to misinformation and conservative forces to win over common sense, with the consequence that we lost control of the narrative,” she said. “I, like many, feel the new amendments are not enough, as they do not give women the peace of mind they deserve. Even worse, they make the vulnerable woman’s life even more complicated.”

The MP is among a handful of Maltese politicians to declare her pro-choice views, and was the first to speak about Malta’s restrictive abortion laws after the Andrea Prudente case.

She resigned from Labour’s parliamentary group earlier this year following the Yorgen Fenech chats debacle, and is now an independent MP.