Roberta Metsola on Wednesday sought to steer clear of Malta's ongoing debate about abortion, saying she endorses the European Parliament's position on the contentious issue.
“That is a discussion taking place in the Maltese parliament. These days I am here as president of the European Parliament," she told Swedish reporters on Wednesday.
"Ever since I became vice president and then president, the position of the parliament is clear on this issue, and this is also my position," the European Parliament president and PN MP continued.
The European Parliament is vociferously in favour of abortion, with a majority of the parliament having voted earlier this year to declare abortion a basic human right.
Her declaration places her squarely on the opposite side of the issue to her own party, the PN, which is staunchly opposed to abortion.
Metsola was replying to reporters' questions during a press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. A Swedish journalist was asking questions on behalf of MaltaToday.
The EP president had previously faced questions about abortion in her first press conference following her election to the top European role. At the time, she had insisted she would respect the EP’s position on all matters, including the issue of abortion.
During her time as an MEP, Metsola opposed reports and resolutions calling for women to have access to safe abortion services.
The Maltese scenario
Malta's parliament is currently debating on a legislative amendment which would allow doctors to terminate a pregnancy when a woman's life or health is in "grave jeopardy".
The discussion has sparked national interest, with critics hitting out that the government is trying to introduce abortion and proponents saying the changes are needed to ensure legal certainty.
The amendments come after Andrea Prudente, an American woman who was holidaying in Malta in June was denied a request to terminate her non-viable pregnancy.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that he trusted doctors to decide when a woman's life or health was in "grave jeopardy" and dismissed claims that a woman would be able to terminate a pregnancy for relatively minor health reasons.
Opposition to the amendments in their current form span broad sections of society, ranging from NGOs and Church groups to academics, the PN Opposition and former president Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.
Times of Malta has also reported that President George Vella has told people close to him he is prepared to resign if parliament approves the amendment as proposed by the government.