Europe Proceeds With Death Penalty Day Over Poland’s Abortion Protest Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 9, 2007
Brussels, Belgium (LifeNews.com) — The European Union will move ahead with a day to protest the death penalty despite objections from Polish officials, who wanted to include a condemnation of abortion as well. Polish leaders say nations are united against death penalty and insist the event should be used to mark the deaths of people from abortion.
The European Day Against Death Penalty will go ahead tomorrow after the Council of Europe approved a resolution to that effect.
Krzysztof Bosak, Polish member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, says any discussion of protecting human life should acknowledge those people who lose their lives to abortion or euthanasia.
"If we are to discuss life issues, let us be honest and not hypocritical," he told Polskie Radio. "It is not death penalty, but abortion and euthanasia that kills millions of innocent European citizens every year. This is a real problem that should be highlighted."
"As for values, it is not Poland who should be ashamed but abortion and euthanasia supporters who pretend to be pro-life when it comes to death penalty," he added.
Spanish Justice Minister Mariano Sanchez Bermejo previously vented his frustrations at Poland for holding up the event.
"Twenty-six countries in the EU want to celebrate a symbolic day against the death penalty but only one, Poland, is against," he said.
Poland, Ireland and Malta are the only three European nations that ban abortions. Portugal, which recently approved legislation allowing abortions up to 10 weeks into pregnancy, was the prime sponsor of the death penalty event.
The eastern European nation isn’t likely to change its stance on the event as its ruling government leaders are fighting for pro-life votes in advance of an election scheduled for October 21.
Portugal was the first European nation to ban the death penalty, in 1876, and it hopes the continent will endorse its proposal for a day to mark the abolition in other countries as well.