WARSAW, Poland, October 10, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) — Prolife operatives inside Poland say well-funded abortion activists outside the country used threats of violence, and that is why Poland's Sejm, the lower house of Parliament, turned down an abortion ban to save the country's preborn children.
It was thought the popular measure, supported by the Roman Catholic Church, had momentum on its prolife side, but pro-abortion activists organized “Black Protests” across the nation, featuring angry women dressed in black. According to Jaroslav Gowin, Poland’s Minister of Science and Higher Education, the protests had their desired effect, causing Parliament to reject the proposed abortion ban.
Human Life International operatives on the ground in Poland say the politicians are prolife, but the protests forced their hands. “The politicians had no choice,” Lech Kowalewski of HLI Poland told LifeSiteNews via email. “They were pushed into a corner due to the thread of widespread violence on the streets on both sides.”
“This was a campaign funded by sources outside Poland to undermine Polish democracy and sovereignty,” HLI's Stephen Phelan charged.
Prolife leaders in Poland agree. Kowalewski blamed “people like George Soros” and others outside of Poland for provoking unrest inside the country. “The fanatical aggression and hatred we saw in the protests was fueled and provoked by money from people like George Soros,” Kowalewski said. “Soros wants to create in Poland a new 'Ukrainian maidan' to get rid of the conservative government, without which there will be no positive reforms.”
The “Ukrainian Maidan” refers to the Euromaidan (Ukrainian: Євромайдан, Yevromaidan, literally “Eurosquare”), an organized wave of huge demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine in 2013, demanding European integration.
“The proposal already had wide support among Polish women, so the protest was in no way about 'what Polish women want,'” Phelan explained. “It was also not about women's health, as Poland already has excellent maternal health outcomes even with strong restrictions on abortion.”
The country already bans “elective” abortions, but allows abortions in cases of rape, incest, deformity or predicted disability, or the mother's health. The proposed abortion ban, a petition for which garnered half a million citizens' signatures in just three months, would only have allowed an abortion to save a mother's life.
Phelan concluded, “This is not over.”
“We have to remember, the main attack on Poland is from outside,” Kowalewski said. “They mainly target their propaganda and lies at young people. Most radio stations young people listen to are not in Polish hands.”
Kowalewski said Poland is now in an intense battle to win the hearts and minds of young voters. “Here is where we see the Polish battle for life and public awareness,” he said. “Without winning it, we will lose the referendum sooner or later.”
“We have to win over these young women dressed in black,” Kowalewski concluded. “They are not evil. They are deceived.”
Kowalewski holds out hope, as long as the lucrative schemes of the George Soroses of the world do not overthrow the current conservative government in Poland. “Most of the Polish parliamentarians are pro-life. They will take advantage of the first opportunity to increase the protection of the unborn child.”