Pro-life group Life Network Malta and former president Marie Louise Coleiro Preca called journalists to a press conference on Friday but refused to answer any questions.

They issued a call to journalists to the event relating to the anti-abortion campaign Inti Tista’ Ssalvani and a march on Sunday, which was announced in a previous statement.

However, when approached, both Coleiro Preca and the head of Life Network Malta, Miriam Sciberras, refused to take questions from the media, saying that "everything will be said on Sunday".

Coleiro Preca added: "You know I usually give comments on anything you ask me, but this is a very sensitive topic".

She called for people to turn up to the protest, saying it should be a “moment of national unity”.

“Life doesn’t have a political colour, this is not a time for division or to bring in partisan politics to the discussion,” she said.

Malta’s parliament is currently debating an amendment to the criminal code that will free doctors and pregnant women from the threat of criminal prosecution if a pregnancy is terminated to protect a woman “suffering from a medical complication which may put her life at risk or her health in grave jeopardy”.

The former president has joined 44 organisations, over 80 academics, and 450 doctors who oppose the legal changes proposed by the government. 

They want the wording to be changed to restrict the termination of pregnancies to cases when the woman's life is at risk, rather than her health. 

“How can I defend children’s rights and not speak about their most important right - their right to birth,”  Coleiro Preca said. 

She said many are concerned about the new changes, and that the government has not taken into consideration the position paper signed by academics. 

21,000 signatures on a petition

Sciberras said the group also presented a letter to Prime Minister Robert Abela, calling for a more open discussion. 

She called for the public to sign the petition 'Inti Tista Ssalvani' which has had over 21,000 signatures since Friday afternoon.

The amendments to the law come after Andrea Prudente, a US woman who was holidaying in Malta in June was denied a request to terminate her non-viable pregnancy. 

The discussion has sparked large national interest, with critics claiming the government is trying to introduce abortion by stealth and those in favor saying the changes are needed to ensure legal certainty. 

Times of Malta has reported that President George Vella had told close associates that he was prepared to resign if the changes were approved.

The Nationalist Party is also opposed to the amendment, saying it will introduce abortion.