“I regard the banning of euthanasia and cloning a great success for those in Bulgaria who are dedicating themselves to the defence of human life”. In these terms the president of the Bulgarian Episcopal Conference, Msgr. Hristo Projkov, has expressed satisfaction about the approval, in Parliament, of the law on health that prohibits euthanasia and cloning. “Parliament’s decision is a major step forward said the bishop in a comment to SIR and I have to say that many members of parliament share our defence of life from conception to natural end. It is important to protect life especially in our time when it is vulnerable and often jeopardized. Let us try to safeguard it and appreciate it, because life is a gift of God”. Euthanasia and cloning have been extensively discussed in Bulgarian society. The Bulgarian Catholic Church has also expressed its position on the matter, as also has the Association of Catholic Doctors affiliated with the Exarchate of Catholics of Byzantine rite. The proposals to apply euthanasia at the request of patients or their close relatives were rejected by Parliament, which ruled that “such an act is contrary to law and unacceptable”. Representatives of the Bulgarian Episcopal Conference had talks with some MPs to explain the position of the Catholic Church. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has also expressed the same position.
