Czech Republic Strikes Down Cheap Foreign Abortion Legislation
The Czech Parliament has decided to scrap legislation that would have required the Czech Republic to offer inexpensive abortions to citizens of foreign European Union member states.
In May, the Alliance Defense Fund submitted a legal opinion to the Czech Republic Ministry of Health to dispel the misconception that European law requires the country to offer such abortions. The ADF announced the Czech Republic’s decision on Monday.
“No government must offer abortions simply because pro-abortion advocates demand they be provided,” ADF Legal Counsel Roger Kiska says. “Neither European nor international law requires the Czech Republic to offer abortions. The Czech Parliament made the right decision to derail this bad and unpopular legislation.”
Some allied pro-family groups within the country supported the ADF and used many of their arguments. The problematic legislation lacked public support and was dropped.
“Attempts to force this type of illegitimate cross-border recognition through legislation are nothing new to Americans, who have already seen similar attempts involving health care and marriage,” Kiska added. “Fortunately, this latest potential wildfire that was kindled by those who wanted to expand the reach of abortionists was doused in Europe before it could spread to American shores.”
In its legal opinion to the Czech Republic Ministry of Health, ADF stressed that the European Parliament and the Council of Europe have themselves declared that they have no authority over member states with regard to abortion. Past resolutions by both bodies that recommended easy and legal access to abortion throughout Europe were entirely non-binding opinions.
The resolutions “are not binding on the Member States of the EU or the Council of Europe or any other European institutions,” the ADF legal opinion explained. “Despite what some pressure groups may suggest, there is no such thing as a ‘right to abortion’ in international law or in European law. Therefore, by restricting access to an abortion to certain people, a Member State should not be seen to be acting contrary to European law.”
