Politics
Monday February 12, 2007
Swedish Proposal to Abort Children of Foreign Nationals Draws Criticism
EU law professor suggests Sweden might find itself in violation of sovereign rights of other nations
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
By John-Henry Westen
STOCKHOLM, February 12, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - An impending amendment to the current Abortion Act in Sweden will allow Swedish abortionists to abort the children of women from other countries, including countries which protect the right to life of their unborn citizens. The controversial measure which would offer abortion-on-demand during the first eighteen weeks of pregnancy, has drawn criticism from a noted professor of EU legislation and international pro-life leaders.
Swedish Minister of Health and Social Affairs, Mr Göran Hägglund announced the coming legislation last month. In response, Ulf Bernitz a professor of European Union Law at Stockholm University was quoted in the nation's second largest paper, Svenska Dagbladet, Friday referring to the proposed abortion amendment as lacking in "judicial reason".
The government says that the new legislative proposal is being urged by the European Union. However, Professor Bernitz called the suggestion, "almost bizarre." He said, "It is totally wrong that EU would demand that Sweden would supply care which is illegal in other countries. It is almost bizarre."
The EU law professor also suggested that Sweden might find itself in violation of the sovereign rights of other nations should it follow the proposed course. "Sweden might get in trouble if it introduces a legislation that causes conflict with other countries' legislation," he said.
That concern was echoed in a letter sent to Minister Hägglund yesterday by the International Right to Life Federation. "The International pro-life community finds this proposal intolerable and an affront to national sovereignty," said the letter a copy of which was obtained by LifeSiteNews.com. "How can you propose that your country imposing your views in favour of abortion on other nations, by aborting the children of foreign nationals, when their countries uphold the right to life of unborn children, and thus consider those unborn children citizens?"
The letter concluded: "It is an affront to other nations to kill their citizens on your soil, even if the Swedish government does not recognize those foreign citizens as persons, if they are considered such by foreign nations, you should at least respect their sovereignty regarding determination of personhood and citizenship."
To express concerns to Swedish Health Minister Göran Hägglund
See the coverage (in Swedish) from Svenska Dagbladet:
http://www.svd.se/dynamiskt/inrikes/did_14589803.asp
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- Nun Defiant Following Rebuke, but Stops Abortion Escorting
- 32 States Saw Personhood Initiatives in 2009 - Movement Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary
- Call for Reform of U.S. Bishops' CCHD Bolstered by New Evidence
- New Zealand Study Finds Abortion Increases Risk of Mental Health Problems
- United Nations Report Pushes for Right to Sex-Change Operations
- Never Mind: Judge Yanks 15-Year-Delayed Illinois Parental Notice Law Back Into Legal Limbo
- Confusion about Euthanasia Must be Dispelled Says Prominent Anti-Euthanasia Activist
- Newly Identified Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to State's Homosexual Partnership Law
- Courageous Pro-Life Former MP Gus Mitges Passes Away
- Ad Depicting Nude Couple Having Sex Not Pornographic: UK Advertising Standards Authority
- Pro-Life Lawmakers Condemn 'Sham' Health Bill Abortion Compromise
- Conservative Pro-Life, Pro-Family Dark Horse in NY 23 Race Defeated in Close Race
- No British Referendum on Lisbon Treaty: Tory Leader
- Letters to the Editor - Nun Abortion Clinic Escort
Most Read this Week
- Planned Parenthood Director Resigns after Watching Ultrasound of Abortion Procedure
- Gardasil Researcher Admits Vaccine May Be More Dangerous than the Disease
- Breaking: Dominican Community Apologizes for Nun Caught Acting as Abortion Escort
- Over 200 Christendom College Students Protest Abortion at Planned Parenthood Clinic
- Did Feminism Benefit Men more than Women? Prominent US Feminist Asks
- Mother Charged in Murder of Her Autistic Son
- USCCB Launches All-Out Campaign against Abortion-Funding Healthcare
- Coalition of Catholic Groups Calls for Massive Reform of U.S. Bishops' Social Justice Arm
- Scottish Gay Rights Activists Found Guilty of Pedophilia Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
- Stem Cell Breakthrough Could Create Babies Without Men, Women, or Sexual Relations
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.