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Barcelona.—The Association (APFCIB) claimed yesterday that it is not justified in demanding the money “upfront” from women who want to have an abortion.

APFCIB is urging the Balearic government to change the rules, alleging that the norms as they stand at the moment are against the law. The Association said that the demand for upfront payment for an abortion is “morally” biased and is not economically justified.

Inequality
APFCIB said that the Balearic government, through its “unjustified policy” is creating inequality between women in the Balearic Islands and the rest of Spain.

The Association went even further by suggesting that the approach being shown by the Balearic government to women with unwanted pregnancies is entrenching poverty by virtue of a person's sex.

According to present legislation, as of 1st January this year, women who want to terminate a pregnancy must attend one of three approved clinics in the Balearics and pay the cost of the surgery in advance. Payment will then be reimbursed to the women who have paid “up front” on presentation of invoices but after an unspecified period of time - “unjustified loophole in the law” said the Association. The same government sources said that the rules have been changed and that public hospitals will not now automatically send women wanting their pregnancies terminated to private surgeries.

Hospitals belonging to the public Balearic health network only attend urgent cases of pregnancy termination prompted for health reasons.