News

 By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

IASI, ROMANIA, June 24, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Romanian officials are seeking to obtain an abortion for an 11-year-old girl after a hospital ethics committee refused to perform the procedure, according to news reports.

The hospital’s committee issued the ruling based on the fact that the girl, who was allegedly raped by her uncle, is more than 14 weeks pregnant. According to the law, abortions may not be performed after that period. 

“According to the penal code, after the 14th week of pregnancy, termination is only permitted if the mother’s life is endangered or if the fetus suffers from malformation,” said a spokesman for the Cuza Voda hospital.  He added that the committee found the girl’s pregnancy to be “proceeding naturally” and therefore would not allow an abortion, according to the French Press Agency

However, according to the Romanian publication Gandul, there are provisions in Romanian law allowing later term abortions in cases of “necessity”.  The newspaper reports that government authorities are investigating the case and intend to initiate proceedings to overturn the hospital’s decision.

The hospital’s spokesman, Vica Todosiciuc, contradicted Gandul’s claim, stating that the law does not allow for exceptions.

Contact Information:

Embassy of Romania in the United States
  1607 23rd Street, NW
  Washington, D.C. 20008
           USA
  Phone: 202-332.4846
            202-332.4848
  Fax: 202- 232. 4748
  Email: [email protected]

Embassy of Romania in Canada
  655 Rideau Street , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 6A3
  Telephone (613) 789-3709, -5345, -4037, -4038
  Fax (613) 789-4365
[email protected]

Embassies of Romania in other countries:
https://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/Romania/romania1.html