By Borut Zivulovic
SVETI TOMAZ, Slovenia (Reuters) -Slovenia will on Sunday vote on a law that proposes legalising assisted dying for some terminally ill adults, following other European countries that have made the change.
The parliament of the small European Union member passed the law in July, but a citizens’ initiative led by right-wing politician Ales Primc forced a referendum on Sunday, the results of which will be binding.
Supporters of the law, which allows assisted suicide for adults facing unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement, say that it will alleviate unnecessary pain. Those against say society should care for the sick, not help them die.
Marijan Janzekovic, an 86-year-old who lives in the town of Sveti Tomaz, east of Ljubljana, supports the bill.
His wife Alenka Curin-Janzekovic was wheelchair-bound and in pain for years from diabetes-related illnesses before he took her to a Swiss clinic in 2023 to end her life.
“She was in a wheelchair … and in pain so bad my heart hurt just by watching her,” he told Reuters, looking at her photo in his phone and clutching a pendant with her ashes.
‘LET’S CARE FOR THE SICK AND DYING’
Opponents say the law is inhumane and violates Slovenia’s constitution, which declares human life inviolable. Catholic Archbishop Stanislav Zore said the state should focus on palliative care instead.
“Let’s care for the sick and dying, but not offer them suicide,” he said.
The law will be rejected if a majority of participating voters oppose it, on condition they constitute at least 20% of the 1.692 million electorate.
Assisted dying is already permitted in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium and several U.S. states. Britain’s lower house voted to legalise it earlier this year, though the bill awaits approval in the upper parliament chamber.
Britain’s bill allows assisted suicide only to terminally ill adults with less than six months to live, an approval of two doctors, judicial oversight, and self-administration of the medication.
Slovenia’s law is similar. It requires the approval of two doctors but also cooling-off periods, and self-administration of the medication.
Alongside terminal conditions, the Netherlands and Belgium both cover non-terminal diagnoses such as psychiatric illnesses, and allow euthanasia administered by a doctor, alongside assisted suicide.
Ljubljana resident Maria, 25, said doctors’ opinions should prevail: “If they are against it, there’s definitely something to it.”
In contrast, 44-year-old Bruce Milord said he planned to vote ‘yes’.
“Everybody has the right to decide about their life and death.”
(Reporting by Borut Yivulovic and Antionio Bronic, Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Edward McAllister and Ros Russell)
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