Prime Minister Robert Abela has not ruled out further amendments to abortion laws, hours after his government announced a watered-down version of proposed amendments that will allow pregnancies to be terminated in specific circumstances.
Asked on Friday what his message to pro-choice activists was following Friday’s announcement, Abela said the amendment would shake up Malta’s “status quo”.
“This was a very important step and a big change that shakes the status quo that this country was stuck in”.
He however sought to distance the proposals from any debate concerning legalising abortion, insisting the two were separate and that the revised wording “shows what our original intention was.”
The amendments presented on Friday tighten the original proposal, which would have allowed terminations when a woman’s life was at risk or health was in “grave jeopardy”.
“Grave jeopardy” has now been defined as a situation which “can lead to death”.
The revised law also makes it clear that doctors will only approve a termination in such cases if they believe the foetus cannot live outside the womb. Three specialist doctors will have to sign off on such interventions.
Asked if the government plans to go further in abortion legislation, Abela again insisted that the amendment presented on Friday was unrelated to abortion.
“Let's separate abortion from today’s amendment, they are different issues," Abela said.
"That discussion [on abortion] needs to begin and move forward but should not be in the dominion of politicians. Let us let society speak,” Abela said.
Asked again if an Abela government would consider other amendments to abortion, Abela reiterated his point.
“This is a question of a discussion which is in its first stages. Let us let that discussion mature,” Abela said.
While pro-life activists have welcomed the changes announced by Health Minister Chris Fearne and Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, pro-choice groups have been far less positive.
The Voice for Choice coalition said the proposals are regressive and will lead to women being killed. They described the changes as “a major setback and a betrayal of pregnant women and persons in Malta".
Still, Abela insisted that the new changes protect mothers' lives, because they will fill a legislative void that existed.
Currently, abortion is outlawed in all cases and medical professionals who terminate a pregnancy when a woman’s life is at risk do so without the legal certainty that they will not be prosecuted.
“I understand there are those who want more, and I also understand those who said we did too much,” Abela said.