After two years of deliberation, the government commission for the drafting of the Civil Code has decided that the latest version of the draft should stipulate the provision on the possibility of people suffering from serious and incurable illnesses to end their lives in a dignified manner, as they decide or with the consent of their family members.
“The right to euthanasia, as a natural person’s right to a voluntary and dignified end to life, can be accomplished exemplarily if certain psychosocial and medical conditions are fulfilled. Abuse of the right to euthanasia to obtain unfounded material or other benefits constitutes the basis for criminal responsibility,” Article 86 of the Preamble of the Civil Code says.
According to the Politika newspaper, a special law has been announced, which will precisely define the conditions and procedures for exercising the right to euthanasia. Changes in the Penal Code will also be necessary to implement this regulation.
The government commission for the drafting of the Civil Code has 13 members and was formed by the former Prime Minister, Vojislav Kostunica on November 16th, 2006, with the task of codifying civil law and drafting the text of the Civil Code. The commission was obligated to submit the text of the Civil Code to the Ministry of Justice within one year, but that was later annulled.
The Civil Code has been in the making for the past 13 years.
(021.rs, 30.05.2019)
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