Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca flees journalists after abortion press conference

President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca fled journalists after addressing a pro-life press conference ahead of Sunday's demonstration in Valletta against government's abortion amendment.

“We need to listen to one another in a mature discussion,” Coleiro Preca said during the press conference in which she took no questions from journalists.

When approached afterwards for comment, she insisted that while she is usually eager to reply, her decision "to be ethical" now had to be respected.

“While typically I am willing to comment on anything asked of me, my decision to be ethical must now be respected,” she told journalists.

Accompanied by Life Network Chairperson Miriam Sciberras, the former president called for unity on a matter which she said is of concern to a lot of people.

"The government's proposed amendment worries me. Although it is necessary to have legal certainty, this should only be in matters of death and not health,” Coleiro Preca said in her address.

Sciberras noted how the addition of mental health to the list of factors that qualify for abortion, will invite abuse.

Instead, both women said they will be supporting the amendment put forward by more than 80 academics, which was also backed by Doctors for Life.

Parliament is currently debating an amendment put forward by government, which allows a pregnancy to be terminated if a woman's health or life is at risk. The amendment to the Criminal Code ensures that neither doctors nor women will guilty of a criminal act if an abortion is done in these two circumstances.

The Opposition has come out against the proposal and will be voting against.