President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said that there has yet to be a serious public discussion and consultation on the government's abortion bill amendment.

Speaking in front of Parliament on Friday, where a press conference was held in relation to the upcoming protest against the bill on Sunday, Coleiro Preca said that the right to life is fundamental and there needs to be public discussion and consultation on the bill.

A bill that will make abortion legal when a pregnant woman's life is at risk, or her health is in "grave jeopardy" was presented in parliament, which intends to free doctors and pregnant women from the threat of criminal prosecution if a pregnancy is terminated for those reasons.

The PN, as well as many organisations and groups, are disagreeing with the proposal, arguing that its wording is too open and vague.

Coleiro Preca said that organisations, academics and even practitioners have spoken on the matter, yet they have yet to be considered and truly heard.

"I am convinced that nobody wants a woman to lose her life, and despite the fact that no woman's life has ever been sacrificed, I believe that we must have legal clarity in the amendment introduced," she said. She said that government should not sacrifice the life of the baby when the mother could be treated for any health problems, specifically mental health.

"This isn't a principle of religion or politics, but the rights of every person as well as the baby, who has the right to be born and live its life," Coleiro Preca said.

She said that there has not yet been a chance for a full discussion on the reform, and that this amendment should not be rushed.

Coleiro Preca appealed to government to rise above partisan politics and seriously understand that if government passes the amendment, it will face ethical issues.

"The public deserves to be informed in detail about what is happening, and the public must also be involved in discussions," Coleiro Preca said.

Coleiro Preca said that it is important to send a message to politicians in the upcoming protest to speak against any abuse and killings of babies.

"This is a moment of coming together and not of political divide," she said, adding that the law will lead to a change of morality in the country's mentality.

Chairperson of the Life Network Foundation Miriam Sciberras, one of the organizers of the Sunday protest, said that the mother must receive all care she needs in case of a health problem, and every effort should be made to save the baby.

She said that the amendment does not assure legal protection for doctors and does not even mention the baby, but gives way for the introduction of abortion in Malta.

Sciberras said that it is not acceptable that abortion enters the country as it has in other countries who adopted similar amendments to abortion.

"There has been no mandate, and no discussion," Sciberras said.

She said that a group of 80 experts have provided a detailed position paper against the current amendment and provided an alternative clause for government to adopt with the support of over 40 organisations.

Sciberras said that through the petition against the government's amendment, which can be found on salvani.eu, there have already been over 21,000 signatures.

Sciberras added that the foundation has written a letter to Prime Minister Robert Abela, appealing for him to open a discussion on the matter, so that matters do not continue to go in this direction.

"The protest will be a manifestation of unity and not a question of blue and red. It is in our DNA to unite and protect the rights of the baby," Sciberras said.

Sciberras said that she knows that there is a good intention behind the proposed amendment, but the proposed clause does not reach this intention.

"Respect the Maltese intelligence and do not allow abortion to enter Malta," she said.

On Sunday, protestors will be gathering in front of Castille, and march through Republic Street, where there will be discussions from the organisers of the protest, namely Doctors for Life, Life Network Foundation, and I See Life.

Journalists were presented with the position paper of the group of 80 experts, as well as a letter to the Prime Minister from the Life Network Foundation. The Life Network Foundation asked for an urgent meeting with Abela, saying that the lives of Maltese and Gozitan children are being threatened.

After the press conference, Coleiro Preca and Sciberras were both unavailable for questions from journalists.