|
2007-09-19 Europe
|
|
EU anti-death penalty day vetoed by Poland
|
Poland has blocked plans to hold a European day against the death penalty, the EU's Portuguese presidency says. It says Warsaw rejected the idea at a meeting of ministers in Brussels, arguing that any such event should also condemn abortion and euthanasia.
The EU, where the capital punishment is outlawed, had planned to mark the anti-death penalty day on 10 October. Poland's conservative government has in the past called for a re-opening of the debate on capital punishment.
The European Commission said a conference scheduled to launch the EU day against the death penalty would still go ahead on 9 October. But with Poland digging in its heels, delegates may find the debate is livelier than they had expected, the BBC's Alix Kroeger in Brussels says.
| Warsaw argued that any such event should also condemn abortion and euthanasia. |
"Unfortunately, it was not possible to find a consensus among all the 27 [EU] member states," Portuguese Justice Minister Alberto Costa told reporters after the Brussels meeting of EU justice and interior ministers. EU officials also confirmed that Warsaw alone objected to the move.
Polish Deputy Justice Minister Andrzej Duda said that the EU "should approach the subject in a broader way and debate the protection of life". "The death penalty is only one element of the debate; there are more - for example, abortion and euthanasia," he said.
This is the latest in a series of political clashes between Brussels and Warsaw, on everything from homosexuality to environmental protection, our correspondent says. She says that Poland's junior coalition partner, the ultra-conservative League of Polish Families, wants to bring back the death penalty for paedophiles. Polish President Lech Kaczynski last year called on EU member states to reintroduce the death penalty.
Poland, along with Ireland and Malta, are the only members where abortion is illegal. Poland's Roman Catholic clergy and politicians have described the practice of euthanasia in countries such as the Netherlands as a "culture of death".
The latest row comes as Poland prepares for early general elections on 21 October. 
|
Posted by lotp 2007-09-19 00:00||
||
Front Page|| [11136 views ]
Top
|
|
Posted by mrp 2007-09-19 11:09||
2007-09-19 11:09||
Front Page
Top
|
|
18:15 Elmerert Hupens2660
18:11 MikeKozlowski
18:11 MikeKozlowski
17:50 Pancho Poodle8452
17:34 Elmerert Hupens2660
17:22 DooDahMan
17:15 DooDahMan
17:10 DooDahMan
17:08 DooDahMan
17:08 DooDahMan
16:52 DarthVader
15:31 NoMoreBS
15:24 DarthVader
15:20 NoMoreBS
15:15 Griter+Slash1619
15:04 NoMoreBS
14:51 Grom the Affective
14:50 Secret Master
14:06 swksvolFF
13:45 Lord Garth
13:33 trailing wife
13:32 Ebbuger Whuque4103
13:17 Frank G
13:01 SteveS
|
