Fierce backlash has erupted following Maria Karystianou’s statements about abortions, which she made during a Monday morning (19/1) television interview. Specifically, Ms. Karystianou was asked – in addition to questions about her new party, upcoming elections and Alexis Tsipras – about the abortion issue, stating among other things that society should decide what should be done, while characterizing the matter as a “public consultation issue“.
Maria Karystianou: Let society decide what should be done
More specifically, Maria Karystianou in a comprehensive interview she gave to OPEN, stated about abortions: “I respect free will. It is important and protected,” while subsequently expressing the view that “society should decide what it would like to happen“. She added that: “There is a particularity to this issue. Because it concerns women’s rights. It is truly her issue. But it also concerns the rights of the embryo and I, as a pediatrician, am torn on this matter.”
Maria Karystianou continued saying that: “a woman can certainly decide about her body,” adding that: “The issue is that in the case of abortions there is another very moral issue. That’s why in public consultation most people will have a better opinion or it will be more democratic. Because we are talking about a life that is just beginning.” When asked to clarify her position she said: “My science has put me in a position to see things while caring for the life that has been created, fully understanding the woman’s right to decide whether she wants childbearing or not,” while arguing that “from the moment a child’s heart starts beating at three months, it is considered a life that has been created.”
“I know (that abortions are legal). I’m talking about the moral issue,” she also said and concluded by adding that “issues that may concern how our society functions can be resolved through public consultation,” clarifying that she was not referring specifically to the abortion issue.
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Pavlos Marinakis on Karystianou: Every woman, every person is responsible for deciding about their body
Maria Karystianou’s statements, therefore, provoked various comments from both the government and the opposition. Specifically, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis during his regular briefing to political editors today, Monday (19/12), referring to Karystianou’s statements about abortions said: “The most terrible thing is that this was heard even from a doctor. We will not go back to discussions that have been resolved. The river doesn’t flow backwards. Every woman, every person is responsible for deciding about their body, period.”
Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris also addressed the issue, speaking on public television: “The law is specific. What does public consultation mean? I too morally disagree with abortion, but I recognize a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy. Otherwise we would have to force even a woman who has been raped to maintain the pregnancy. I don’t want to wrong Ms. Karystianou, I haven’t heard her entire statement.”
Sdoukou on Karystianou: Unacceptable, it’s an absolutely protected right and is not disputed
“As a woman and as a politician I cannot accept this and I didn’t expect to hear it from a woman. I think it’s unacceptable. The questioning of women’s right to abortion is a right that is absolutely protected and is not disputed. Therefore, it is neither under consultation nor under negotiation. It’s a closed issue since 1986,” emphasized New Democracy spokesperson Alexandra Sdoukou in her interview on ERTnews Radio 105.8, when asked, among other things, about today’s statements by Ms. Karystianou on a television show, where the issue was discussed.
Responding to whether Ms. Karystianou is targeting a more conservative audience, Ms. Sdoukou noted “it is certainly Ms. Karystianou’s right to target whatever constituency she wishes. However, for Greek society to take a new venture seriously, it must hear specific things. What do you have to say about Trump and Europe, what do you have to say about wages and pensions, what do you have to tell us about justice administration. So when you hear an issue being raised again that has been closed for years, I don’t know.”
PASOK on Karystianou: Access to safe abortion is an inalienable right
“The abortion issue has been definitively resolved. The PASOK government of Andreas Papandreou with law 1609/1986 made every woman’s right to decide
