Abortion being guaranteed as a fundamental right is a big red line for the PN delegation, PN MEP David Casa said, explaining the reasoning behind the PN MEPs vote against a report in the EU Parliament.

The Labour Party on Wednesday criticized what it called "the double standards and hypocrisy" of the Nationalist Party which in Malta says one thing, and in European fora does otherwise. The PL said the issue concerns a vote by MEPs on a report on human rights, democracy and the rule of law taken earlier on Wednesday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. "Nationalist MPs Peter Agius and David Casa sided with the far-right MEPs in the EP including Le Pen's French MEPs and Orban's Hungarian MEPs, and voted against this report, the majority of which deals with civil liberties, the rule of law and democracy," the PL said. 

Casa, asked about the vote, said: "Abortion being guaranteed as a fundamental right is a big red line for the PN delegation. That should have been the case for all Maltese MEPs because this should never be imposed upon us. It is a position that at the end of the day is inconsistent with the treaties and the protocol that we negotiated prior to accession.  In the vote yesterday it wasn't even possible for MEPs to make their position clear on the specific clause because that vote wasn't recorded. It is therefore disingenuous for Labour MEPs to claim that they voted against abortion and expect us to take their word for it. The truth is that they consistently say one thing in Malta and do the opposite in Brussels."

"There are instances where you can make your position clear on a specific clause and then look at the text on balance and vote in favour at the end. But that is only the case when the specific vote is recorded," Casa continued. "When you don't have that opportunity you are approving the text in its entirety including that clause over which your position is not recorded. So because of the way the PL delegation voted yesterday the European Parliament position does not show the Maltese delegation in its entirety being opposed to abortion becoming a fundamental right. That is very unfortunate. They can say whatever they want in Malta and expect people to believe them, but here that's the reality."

PN statement

The PN later issued a statement. "Yesterday, Labour MEPs voted in favour of abortion in the European Parliament. What the Labour Party failed to mention in its press release was that the resolution in question - which referred to the Rule of Law - included a clause that obliges EU countries to introduce abortion, and also obliges the European Union to recognise abortion as part of fundamental human rights."

"Beyond the fact that abortion goes against the principles of the PN, the PN holds the firm belief that abortion is a national competence, and that the European Union should never impose abortion on its Member States."

"In line with the PN's consistent principles, Head of the PN Delegation in the European Parliament David Casa and PN MEP Peter Agius voted against the final resolution. Labour MEPs, on the other hand, voted in favour," the party said.

"Moreover, Labour even tried to mislead the public on a separate vote held in Strasbourg on online child protection. In this vote, the Nationalist MEPs abstained precisely because the report contained a clause relating to abortion. Not only did the Labour MEPs vote in favour of this report, they also backed the final resolution to enshrine abortion as a fundamental European right," the PN said.

"The PN delegation in the European Parliament is surprised that, unlike what happened in the past, Labour MEPs voted in favour of this report, effectively accepting that the EU can oblige Member States, including Malta, to introduce abortion. This is entirely inconsistent with what the Labour Party says in Malta. The PN remains consistent in its position on abortion: it is against abortion, this is a matter that falls under Malta's national competence, and the European Union should never impose abortion on Malta. It is the Labour Party that says one thing in Malta but does another in Europe."