Following the political will of Tyrol’s new councilor for social affairs, Eva Pawlata (SPÖ), to offer abortions free of charge “generally in all public hospitals” in the future, the rejection of Innsbruck’s diocesan bishop Hermann Glettler comes as a no. surprise. Apparently, the move is causing some commotion in the Black-Red state coalition. ÖVP club president Jakob Wolf said on Tuesday that this was “not the coalition’s programme”.
Abortions “cannot be part of state-guaranteed healthcare — unless the mother’s health is seriously endangered,” Gletter stressed.
Pregnancy is a time of “strong physical stress, but by no means an illness,” said the bishop, who said he wanted to give “clear words” on the matter to the responsible representatives of the black and red Tyrolean state government. Glettler is responsible for protecting marriage, family, and life in the Episcopal Conference.
‘Bishop needn’t worry’
There can be no question of “being able to carry out a non-medically indicated abortion in every hospital in Tyrol in the future,” Wolf, who was in charge of negotiating the government program, made clear. Bishop Glettler “don’t have to worry that abortion is not treated carefully in Tyrol,” the club boss assured the pastor. A “clear and careful manner” has been agreed in the coalition, which they will adhere to “to the point and comma”.
“The very personal decision of the woman”
They will provide “need-based, low-threshold, medically high-quality access to abortions” – either by expanding outpatient services in the private sector or linking them to a “selected public institution.” developing independent and transparent advice before and after the procedure, said the president of the black club.
Attention should be paid to quality assurance during the consultation. However, the premise that the decision to have an abortion is solely a very personal decision of the woman involved remains undisputed. He sticks to that, says Wolf.
Currently only one doctor in Tyrol
The response was triggered by an APA interview over the weekend, in which Pawlata reaffirmed the SPÖ’s position for easier access to abortion. In Tyrol, there is currently “only one doctor who performs abortions” and, as far as she knows, he will “soon retire”, Pawlata argued.
She is convinced that “no woman takes this decision lightly”. You know ‘the two lines of argument’ and the ‘vague wording’ in the government programme, but you have ‘a clear position on this’, according to the State Council member.
SPÖ deputy governor Georg Dornauer recently called the coalition project in the government program in terms of abortions a “women’s and socio-political milestone for Tyrol” that is long overdue. Unlike Pawlata – and similarly to Wolf – the red state party leader spoke of “a public hospital” or facility in which these should be offered.
“It’s about effective help”
Glettler also stressed that it is about “effective support” for women. The concern of the church is “not sharpening the threat of punishment, but effective and competent assistance to pregnant women who are struggling to make a good decision” and also to initiate preventive measures.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
