Gov’t firm on abortion regulation, Akdağ says

ISTANBUL

Recep Akdağ. AA Photo

The government will “neither prevent abortion nor support illegal practices,” but is determined about the legal regulations on abortion, Health Minister Recep Akdağ has said.

“We will neither create difficulties for those who demand abortions nor hinder anyone from having an abortion on purpose. All we care about is preserving reproductive health,” Akdağ said in an interview with NTV.

Families could use other means of preventing pregnancy, Akdağ said.

“The logic of not using other birth control methods and seeing abortion as a solution for birth control is wrong.”

He also criticized the “my body, my decision” campaign being waged against the new regulation. “You kill a living being with abortion. It is not a matter that can be dismissed as ‘my body.’”

“Women who want to have an abortion will be able to have one as long as certain measures are taken. We are trying to minimize abortion rates. We will neither prevent abortion nor support illegal practices,” Akdağ said.

The previous day, Akdağ had said the abortion regulation would certainly be enacted.