Uneasy MPs hear man's plea to legalise euthanasia

Discomfort among MPs was palpable as they convened to listen to and interview Joe Magro, the man who wants lawmakers to legalise euthanasia and "let me end my life with dignity".  “I have the right on my life and no one else,” affirmed Mr Magro in a heartfelt plea. The MPs were faced with a tangible case of balancing a difficult issue with the ethics of a common good.Social Affairs Committee chairman Godfrey Farrugia argued that euthanasia was a charged topic which needed to be discussed on an ethical level and not within religious parameters. He said that human dignity had to be upheld and the rights of the individual examined, as well as the effects such decisions had on family and relatives. Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech said that while it was hard to grasp a patient’s mental state, legislation of this sort was complex and fraught with problems. Nationalist Party MP Robert Cutajar said that the Opposition would be discussing this matter at its top echelons in the coming weeks. Labour Party MP Franco Mercieca said he disagreed with euthanasia and said that introducing it would represent a line in the sand. Luciano Busuttil (PL) and Etienne Grech (PL) concurred with this...