The European Parliament has debated Poland's decision to ban abortion

The decision of the Polish Constitutional Court to ban abortions almost entirely was debated by MEPs on Tuesday. The representatives of Romania who took part in the debate were Cristian Terheș, PNTCD MEP part of the European Conservatives and Reformists group, and Ramona Strugariu, USR-PLUS MEP part of the Renew group, reports Digi24.

Terheș commented that the pre-speaking MEPs showed a double standard. Strugariu said if Mr. Kaczyński and his league had had an abortion, they would have known that it is not an easy choice.

European Parliament member of PNTCD (Group of European Conservatives and Reformists) :

I listened very carefully to what my colleagues said about the alleged abolition of abortion in Poland. It is shocking for any independent observer to see the double standard you are manifesting in both the rule of law and the constitutional order of the EU Member States. Both Council and Commission representatives said the EU has no competence in matters of abortion legislation, the issue being one of the Member States.

However, 17 spokespersons spoke on this subject simply from an ideological perspective, without explaining with legal arguments why the decision of the Polish Constitutional Court would not be legally correct. In the decision of 22 October 2020, The Constitutional Court has ruled that abortion on genetic grounds or malformations violates the constitutional provision guaranteeing the right to life of any person. No speaker criticizing this decision explains why the precedent set at EU level to decide who lives and who dies would be in accordance with the rule of law. Through the majority positions expressed today to talk only about the right of women to commit abortion but not to talk about the right of unborn children to live simply sentenced to death by the EU.

Ramona Strugariu, USR-PLUS MEP (Renew):

I come from a country where thousands of women lost their lives during the communist years because they had no choice. I am the niece of a woman who suffered immensely because she had no choice. I was born and raised in this country, but the country grew and I became a free woman. If Mr. Kaczyński and his league had had an abortion, they would have known it was not an easy choice. It is one of the hardest decisions anyone can make in search of a safe and dignified life. Every woman has the right to such a life, to such options to decide her future. Every leader or entity that does not understand this has nothing to look for in this century, in the EU and in our community of values. I'm with you, women of Poland. And yes, I am the niece of one of those witches who did not burn.

I debated, today, in plenary, the revolting situation in Poland. My position is clear, the right to decide on one's own body belongs to the woman, not to the legislator. What is happening in Poland corresponds to an obscure scenario of the Middle Ages and is in total disagreement with everything that represents the European Union. The fight for gender equality and women's rights and freedoms has been going on for decades. This major setback must not be allowed anywhere in the world, much less in the heart of the European Union. Poland must also be integrated into the Union through values.

The law introduced by the Polish government banning abortion will not prevent women from continuing to choose to have an abortion. The consequence will be different. Many women will continue to have abortions in unsanitary conditions, through improvised and invasive methods, thus endangering their lives.

What legislators should do to support women is to provide a framework conducive to their health. The first measure to avoid abortion, which is a trauma for every woman who makes this decision, must be to promote sex education and reproductive health, in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Women must be supported, not intimidated.

As a European citizen, I stand in solidarity with the Polish protesters. As a representative of the European Union, I support the right to freedom of choice of women and I will continue to fight for these rights in the European Parliament, he wrote on Facebook, according to Digi24.

Most members of the European Parliament on Tuesday attacked the ban in Poland, with some arguing that it was a fundamental violation of women's rights.

Although some praised the Warsaw authorities for what they called "a defense of Christian values ​​and human life," many of the major political groups criticized the measure imposed on the Roman Catholic nation.

We remind you that Poland has banned abortions, except those justified by rape, incest or when the mother's life is in danger.