Farrugia appeals to MPs to ‘respect future life’ and refuse embryo freezing

Outspoken Labour backbencher Marlene Farrugia has appealed on her fellow parliamentarians to reject a proposed new law that would allow embryo freezing.

“The main reason I decided to run for Parliament was to protect life, not only the lives of the people who can vote us for today but people who haven’t been born yet,” Farrugia said during a debate about health and energy measures announced in the 2016 Budget.

“It is useless to speak proudly about human rights and civil rights if you then deny them the fundamental right to life.”

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has said that he is “resolute” on introducing embryo freezing. However, Farrugia - who has already said that she wouldn't support a Bill on embryo freezing -t urned her back on her party leader and appealed to her fellow Labour MPs to treat the public who in 2013 elected them with a historic majority with respect.

“Embryo freezing wasn’t included in our manifesto,” she said. “We must treat the public with respect, stick to our electoral manifesto transparently, and respect human life – not only for those who can thank us today, but also for those who are currently voiceless but could one day become Malta’s future leaders if we give them a chance.”

Farrugia also had harsh words on the government’s secrecy in the energy sector, particularly on a €360 million state guarantee granted to ElectroGas, the private consortium behind the LNG power station project in Delimara.

“Unfortunately, it was only thanks to the media that the people discovered that they would have to make good for ElectroGas’ loans,” Farrugia said.

In his Budget speech on Tuesday, Muscat dismissed the Opposition’s arguments against the state guarantee by pointing out that UK Chancellor George Osborne had recently announced a £2 billion government guarantee for investment by a Chinese state-owned company into a nuclear power station.

However, in her speech, Farrugia retorted that the UK regulates the conditions under which British state guarantees can be granted.

“In Malta’s case, the ElectroGas state guarantee was granted because somebody in government decided that it should be so,” she said. 

The Labour MP also called on the government to publish the contracts it had signed with Shanghai Electric Power, the Chinese state-owned company that owns 33% of Enemalta.