ASFM asks legalizing phrase “freedom of conscience” for doctors doing abortions

The Alliance for Saving Families of Moldova (ASFM) demands that the Ministry of Health should immediately propose amendments to the legislation so as to include the phrase “freedom of conscience” and allow the doctors to refuse to perform abortions, Info-Prim Neo reports. Vitalie Marian, deputy head of the Association “For Family, told a news conference that the aim of the given legislative amendments is to help the woman keep the child. “After discussing with doctors of a Chisinau hospital, we established that a part of them refuse to do abortions for conscience- and religion-related reasons. But they are pressurized both by the pro-abortion legislation and the fear of not losing their job. Given that the freedom of conscience and of conviction are fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution and most of the international documents, it is absolutely logical and right to allow the doctors not to provide abortion services if they do not want to,” said Vitalie Marian. According to the ASFM, the high number of abortions is mainly due to the lack of qualitative pre-abortion counseling. Vitalie Marian said that on June 14 the Ministry of Health issued an order to approve standards for performing abortions in safe conditions. “Instead of convincing the woman who wants to have an abortion not to have it, the consulting doctor is obliged to minimize her fears before the operation,” he stated. According to Vitalie Marian, the pre-abortion counseling must be provided not by the doctor who performs the abortion, but by disinterested persons who would be able to provide enough time to counseling. ASFM insists that the new law on the counseling of women who want to end the regency should stipulate that the child’s father should also give his consent to abortion. “Many people perceive abortion as the only way out. The women and girls in a crisis situation do not know that there are NGOs that can help them financially and psychologically, as they need such support,” said Svetlana Macari, head of the Association “Liora”. “A family is not a family without children. The demographic situation in Moldova is bad and will worsen further if we accept abortion,” said priest Ioan Barban, a representative of the Metropolitan Church of Moldova. ASFM carried out a number of activities aimed at informing women about the risks of abortion and at making common cause with the medical personnel in order to convince the mothers not to end the pregnancy.