(Vatican Radio) Support appears to be growing for a law that would ban abortion in Poland with the Prime Minister and church leaders pledging to back the proposed legislation. Bishops of Poland's influential Catholic Church plan to convey their pro-life views to the faithful on Sunday.
Listen to Stefan Bos' report:
In an open letter to be read in churches on Sunday, Polish bishops express support
for a proposed new anti-abortion law. Their statement urges protection of human life
"from conception to natural death."
Under current Polish legislation abortion is only allowed in three cases: When the
pregnancy poses a threat to the woman's health or life, if it results from a crime
such as incest or rape, or if medics determine that the unborn child has a severe
and irreversible handicap or an incurable and life-threatening disease.
However the bishops write "that when it comes to the life of the unborn, we can't
remain at the current compromise set out in the law," which was adopted in 1993. The
bishops add: "We call on people of goodwill, believers and nonbelievers, to act so
as to fully protect the life of the unborn from a legal point of view."
They also note that the life of every person is protected by the fifth of the Ten
Commandments in the Bible saying: 'Thou shalt not kill'.
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Poland's prime minister and the powerful leader of its conservative ruling Law and
Justice party have both said they would support tougher legislation, in a country
where nearly 90 percent of the 38 million population is known to be Catholic.
And Prime Minister Beata Szydło has called the bishop’s letter in support of a ban
a clear call for change. She told Polish radio that she wants "a complete ban on abortion".
But she also made clear that this is her "personal opinion and not necessarily that
of all members" of her conservative ruling Law and Justice party. Szydło said that
if the bill is taken up by parliament, she will not insist that all party members
vote in favour of the proposed anti-abortion legislation. "Each of us will be guided
by our own conscience.”
The proposed legislation is expected to be examined by parliament soon. A new pro-life
group "Stop Abortion" is rapidly gathering the necessary 100,000 signatures in support
of a vote for the new law.
The law, tabled by pro-life activists, does not go as far as a total ban but it does
call for a tightening of legislation only to allow abortions to save the mother's
life. Individuals who perform illegal abortions would also be punished by up to five
years in jail, instead of the current maximum of two years.
FEMINIST GROUPS
Feminist groups claim that between 100,000 and 150,000 women either undergo illegal
abortions in Poland or turn to clinics abroad. Legal abortions in the country of 38
million people are limited to around 700 to 1,800 per year.
Critics opposing the legislation say Poland currently has already the most stringent
abortion laws in Europe.
The debate in European Union member Poland is expected to be closely followed by other
EU states including Hungary.
Hungary's new constitution, enacted in 2011, says that human life is protected from
the moment of conception, which analysts believe could lead the way to further abortion
restrictions.
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