President Of Malta Calls For Calm As Embryo Freezing Debate Heats Up
The President of Malta Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca has made a public appeal for calm amid a tense debate on IVF and embryo freezing. Following polarising statements from different levels of the Maltese social and political sphere, the President has expressed her concerns about the drive of the debate.
She said some of the comments about the proposed amendments to the Embryo Protection Act were not constructively contributing to a holistic understanding of the human, social, ethical and medical implications at stake.
“IVF treatment is a very delicate subject that has to be discussed in a serene environment that balances the heartache childless couples face with the sensitive ethical issues connected with embryos’ rights,” a statement from her office said.
“President Coleiro Preca is concerned by the hostility, which unfortunately is emanating from these public debates and is appealing for calm and a longer period of reflection to enable voices to be heard.”
The President is known for remaining close to families, as well as for her conservative views, giving her insight into both sides of the argument. In light of this, she offered to mediate the discussion on the amendments to the Embryo Protection Act.
“She is inviting parliamentarians, civil society and all stakeholders to come together around a table to have an informed debate that fuses the ethical and moral considerations with scientific expertise for a law that fully reflects the medical potential, and its positive and negative implications for society,” the statement said.
Her comments come after an ’embryo freezer’ was left outside of Parliament, and alongside comments calling the new law “chilling” and lacking a human element.
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