The second part of the consultation on voluntary assisted euthanasia was held in Xewkija, Gozo, where several people expressed their views on the document. Attendees from various backgrounds came together to share their opinions, including individuals who have experienced the suffering of relatives with terminal illnesses.

The session was led by the Parliamentary Secretary for Equality and Reforms, Rebecca Buttigieg, who is overseeing this consultative process on behalf of the Government, engaging both members of the public and civil society entities.

During the meeting, she reiterated the Government’s commitment to continue investing in palliative care. She referred to the strategy for strengthening palliative care launched earlier this year, which outlines the planned investments over the next ten years.

The document clearly states that every person with a terminal illness should be offered palliative care and that voluntary assisted euthanasia can only be requested by the person themselves, who has a terminal illness and meets the established criteria.

Rebecca Buttigieg explained that the Government is not willing to consider models used in some other countries and has therefore introduced safeguards to ensure this option is only available to adults.

She added that disability, mental health conditions, and old age can never be reasons for a person to request voluntary assisted euthanasia.

Parliamentary Secretary emphasised that the Government remains committed to considering all perspectives throughout the consultation process. She highlighted that more than 350 submissions have already been received via the website facts.gov.mt. The consultation will remain open until 2 July 2025, allowing further contributions from the public.

#MaltaDaily