Euthanasia

I refer to Ileana Curmi (January 22), who asked whether our negotiators forgot about euthanasia. She was referring to your pull-out published in December.

In fact, the pull-out did state (point 11) that "abortion, euthanasia, divorce, prostitution and drugs are not affected by EU membership. The EU has no laws on these issues and it is up to Malta to decide".

It must be clarified that EU membership does not oblige Malta to legalise euthanasia. Currently, the Netherlands and Belgium are the only EU countries where euthanasia is legal. No other EU country has legalised it and, if any do so in future, it would be on their own initiative and decision - not the EU's.

On abortion, much the same applies. However, contrary to the case with euthanasia, all EU countries have individually and idependently of the EU, legalised abortion. The only exception is Ireland. This point caused concern in Malta because it was felt that peer pressure, if not legal obligations, would have weighed on us to legalise abortion. More so when one considers that the European Parliament has adopted (non-binding) resolutions advocating the legalisation of abortion.

In order to dispel doubts, Malta negotiated a specific protocol which states that no EU laws or treaties, whether present or future, can change Maltese law on abortion.

So Malta did not forget about euthanasia. Nor was its request turned down, as Ms Curmi fears. On euthanasia, Malta simply did not request anything because there was no need to do so.