Garbė Kristui,
Mūsų kova už gyvybę įgauna tarptautinę dimensiją. Niujorke prie
Jungtinių Tautų veikiantis Katalikų � eimos ir Žmogaus teisių
institutas išplatino po visą pasaulį informaciją apie 100
Europarlamentarų laišką su pasirašiusiųjų interviu ir komentarais
bei bendros situacijos pasaulyje trumpą paaiškinimą.
Žemiau pridedu teksto kopiją.
Arimantas
Pro-Life Members of the European Parliament Intervene in Lithuania
By Austin Ruse
(WASHINGTON, DC – C-FAM) A group of 100 Members of the European
Parliament (MEPs) has intervened with the government of Lithuania on the
question of abortion. In a letter sent at the end of May, MEPs
representing 19 European Union (EU) Member States and four different
political groups informed the Chairman of the Lithuanian Parliament,
Ceslovas Jurenas, that nothing in European law would prohibit Lithuania
from restricting access to abortion.
The letter said, “There is no conflict between either European law
or political commitments arising from European integration and legislative
measures aimed at providing better legal protection for unborn
children.” The letter goes on to state, “We welcome Lithuanian
parliamentarians’ efforts to ensure better protection for children prior
to birth.”
Konrad Szymański, a Member of the European Parliament from
Poland and the initiator of the letter, said “The letter aims to clear
up any misunderstandings which have recently arisen in Lithuania due to
the actions of abortion supporters. The scheduled amendments of laws to
protect the life of unborn children are not in breach of EU law or
political commitments arising from Lithuanian membership within the EU.”
Signers of the letter decided the intervention was necessary after a
group of left-wing Members of the European Parliament told the Lithuanian
Parliament in February that commitments made at the International
Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, 1994) and the Fourth
World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995) “confirm(ed) that women's
sexual and reproductive rights are human rights.”
The February letter also quotes Marija Pavilioniene, the head of the
EU Parliamentary group for “reproductive health, rights, population and
development,” that the proposed Lithuanian act “violates a woman's
right to decide about her body and when and how many children she will
have,” a right that is not recognized in European law. Experts at the
United Nations similarly point out that the Cairo and Beijing conference
documents were non-binding and do not require any governmental action on
anything, let alone abortion.
The pro-abortion faction from the European Parliament has taken to
intervening around the world and pressuring governments to accept a right
to abortion. The group also intervened in Nicaragua last year at the
urging of the pro-abortion organization Catholics for a Free Choice (now
known as “Catholics for Choice”) when the Nicaraguan Parliament banned
all forms of abortion. The parliamentarian group is frequently perceived
as officially representing the European Parliament as a whole when it does
not.
It would surprise many around the world, especially in the United
States where the European Parliament is viewed as almost wholly left-wing,
that there are as many as 200 pro-life MEPs. This may be the first time
the group has intervened with a national Parliament.
The question of abortion has been vexing for European integration.
This weekend voters in Ireland will consider the Lisbon Treaty which will
give more power to the European Institutions. The European Commission this
week tried to reassure Irish voters that the Lisbon Treaty would not
require them to change their laws on abortion. Irish pro-lifers remain
skeptical.
Editor in Chief – Austin Ruse
Managing Editor – Piero Tozzi
Assistant Managing Editor – Hannah Russo
Chief Correspondent – Samantha Singson
Contributors – Susan Yoshihara, Maciej Golubiewski
© Copyright 2008 Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required.
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