Government removes anti-abortion ads

Greece’s Transport Minister, Kostas Karamanlis ordered on Monday the removal of an anti-abortion advertising campaign from Athens’ metro system after public reaction.

The government took a defensive stance, with the Transport Ministry issuing a clarification saying that neither it nor the government were aware of this campaign and pointed out how it ran “against a fully enshrined and undeniable right of women.”

“Checking and approving the content of the ads posted on the metro is the sole responsibility of the Urban Rail Transport SA (STASY) administration, a task that must be exercised with responsibility and social conscience,” read the statement.

“Campaigns in public spaces should not divide public opinion and most certainly not offend women who have had to make such a difficult choice in their lives. For this reason, the ministry called on the STASY administration to explain the rationale behind allowing such a campaign, then asked for its removal.”

SYRIZA spokesman Alexis Charitsis took the opportunity to comment on how “women’s right to abortion was legislated many years ago and is non-negotiable.”

“We must, therefore, not allow control over women’s choices via guilt-inducing misinformation,” he concluded.