Poland’s draconian laws did not thwart: abortion issue crosses the Seimas again

The resolution proposed by Mr. Šakalienė, Member of the Seimas, Chairperson of the Reproductive Health and Rights Group, Vice-Chairperson of the Women’s Group, proposed to suspend restrictions on women’s rights and form an assistance program for Polish women seeking care doctor in Lithuania.

“The Constitutional Court of Poland in its 2020 decision of October 22 effectively prohibited legal access to safe abortion in Poland, abolished even those exceptions that allowed abortion in cases where the health of the fetus is incompatible with life. resolution calls for the end of restrictions on women’s rights and proposes the establishment of an assistance program for Polish women seeking medical care (abortion) in Lithuania.

Poland is especially important to Lithuania and that is why we are so concerned. If a close friend makes a big mistake, we have a moral obligation to stop him, call him to rest, and repair the damage. Prohibiting abortion for serious medical reasons, such as forcing a woman to give birth to a fetus against her will to die in the womb or immediately after giving birth due to an incompatible health condition, could be considered a violation of article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The price of the shares covered by noble goals will be the physical and emotional health and the lives of women, ”said D. Šakalienė to Delfi.

The parliamentarian noted with regret that last week the inclusion of the draft resolution on the agenda was rejected, because it did not fit, and promised to be included this week, in the last session of the Seimas of the current legislature.

“Unfortunately, this morning at the meeting of the elders the representative of the Conservatives demanded that it be removed from the agenda, because it is not appropriate for the outgoing Seimas to adopt resolutions.” When 16 members of Seimas voted to return the draft resolution to the agenda in the Seimas hall on behalf of the faction, the proposal was not approved, ”said D. Šakalienė.

The MEP agrees that these actions also show how difficult it will be for the new authorities to fulfill their human rights promises.

“The official arguments do not reflect reality. On the one hand, it is clear that women’s rights issues were not relevant to the current ruling majority, but the attitude of the winning party raises questions or the situation will change if the right and wrong time to defend human rights is seen as opportune. .

Furthermore, is such pragmatism really “appropriate” for the planned “coalition of values”: if the Polish authorities do not like our call for the protection of human rights and freedoms, that is, the fundamental values ​​of the European Union? So we are afraid and we shut up? In the case of Belarus, are we responding to serious human rights violations, and in the case of Poland, is everything okay because the legitimate authorities are massively violating the rights of our citizens? By the way, the Polish police chief shows more sensitivity than our government at the moment; It has been announced that he refuses to use force to persecute protesters defending women, ”said D. Šakalienė angrily.

According to the parliamentarian, this problem will not go away.

“The resolution has been registered, its legislator has been re-elected to the new Sejm, so we will see if the new Seimas leadership will immediately put this resolution on the agenda of the new Sejm, and the new Government will support a fund for Polish women that flee to, – said D. Šakalienė.

Decided to share a personal story

At the initiative of a member of the Seimas, Andrius Navickas, a parliamentarian from the TS-LKD faction, also spoke on Facebook and said that the resolution does not make sense.

“RE. Šakalienė has registered a resolution in which he proposes to the Lithuanian Seimas to express his position on the combination of the right to life and the right to freely dispose of their bodies in neighboring Poland. The real risk that the baby will be born dead. or with a disability Incidentally, one of the most important reasons why this possibility has been abolished is the desire to protect the right of children with Down syndrome to be born and live.

D. Šakalienė also proposes to create a special fund that would provide assistance to Polish women who want to “have a safer abortion in Lithuania. I am well aware that when such sensitive and multi-layered issues are raised it would be wiser to step aside, otherwise you will be overwhelmed by arrows of criticism. In this case, radicals from all directions “fire with precision and enthusiasm,” wrote A. Navickas.

The deputy said he did not agree that it was a purely technical matter.

“Every abortion is a very painful event. It is a testimony that doubts were stronger than hope. However, I don’t really believe in hope “through coercion,” wrote A. Navickas.

The parliamentarian decided to also share a personal story in his position.

“Not long ago, my mother told me more about how many dramas happened when I was coming to life. My mother was ill, the doctors were sure that I would be born blind or have another serious disability, and she pressured my mother to “solve the problem.” The more so since she already had two children and was in poor health. She decided for me and it was a difficult decision. It is very important for me to know that my mother, despite everything, decided for me. I really don’t think it would be better if she didn’t have the opportunity to decide if I knew what the law imposed on me, ”said A. Navickas.

He expressed the expectation that “all the children in the world are welcome,” but said he understands that “it makes no sense to think that this can be achieved by waving a bunch of bans.”

“So, I really don’t want us to take a ‘Polish road.’ In recent years, in Poland, at least it seems to me, there has been an increase not in love of neighbor, but in division and violence. It pains me to see the Poles protest against the new bans by directing their anger against church buildings, religious symbols. On the other hand, it is even worse that political clericalism has contributed to the fact that Christianity is not associated with the Good News, but with the Inquisition, ”wrote A. Navickas.

The parliamentarian said he would hope that we avoid confrontation, as we do now in Poland and Lithuania.

“On the other hand, in the current situation, I don’t understand the meaning of a ‘conviction’. I do not believe that this resolution will change the position of the Polish ruling majority, I do not believe that it will melt the opposition. Rather, it is only in a situation where we all need to focus on fighting a pandemic, engaging in theoretical disputes over the culture of life and reproductive rights. I will emphasize a theoretical discussion in which some will point to children with wonderful special needs or resent acts of vandalism against religious objects, while others will tell sensitive stories about the lives of unsaved women.

I already said it was clever to ignore a controversial topic, but I don’t want to be clever. For me it is more important to explain to you, to tell you why, as a member of the Seimas, I decide one way or another. I don’t really always make the right decision and try to learn from mistakes, but I am happy to vote conscientiously, even if others don’t like my position, “wrote A. Navickas.

There were big protests

As already announced, thousands of people have protested in Poland since the Constitutional Court ruled that abortion for serious fetal malformations was unconstitutional.

The controversial decision of the Constitutional Court represents a further tightening of the abortion law, which is already considered one of the strictest in Europe. Consequently, abortion in Poland is legal only in cases of rape, incest and when the health and life of the mother are in danger. The Court’s ruling essentially nullifies a law that allows the termination of pregnancy in the event of severe fetal malformation.