Parliamentary questions | Doc. 13537 | 19 June 2014
Parliamentary question to the Chairperson-in-Office of the Committee of Ministers
Question from Mr Łukasz ZBONIKOWSKI
(open)In a number of European countries allowing late term abortion, it happens that human foetuses are born alive, surviving to their abortion. News and articles featuring interviews with health care workers reveal that it is not uncommon to find an aborted foetus surviving with a beating heart struggling to breath. In the United Kingdom for instance, It is reported that 66 babies in a year were left to die after their abortions went wrong. In Sweden, one such child lived autonomously for 90 minutes after the abortion, and received no care until he died. In Norway, evidences show that some of those newborn could have been viable if they had received the appropriate medical care.
What specific steps will the Committee of Ministers take in order to guarantee that foetuses who survive abortions are not deprived from the medical treatment that they are entitled to -as human persons born alive- according to the European Convention on Human Rights?
Reply by the Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers
I have noted that the question of the Honorable Parliamentarian is identical to the Written Question No. 655 submitted to the Committee of Ministers by Mr Ángel Pintado on “The issue of late term abortions”. As Mr Pintado’s question is currently under consideration by the Committee of Ministers, you will understand that I am unable to comment on the issue. The Assembly will of course be advised of the outcome of these discussions in due course.