Government has no plans to change abortion laws

“This is not on the agenda at all,” Novak said, adding that she believed in “the triumph of common sense” rather than changing the rules. Thanks to advances in technology, science today knows a lot more about the life of the foetus inside the womb, Novak said during a discussion streamed live on Facebook late on Monday, adding that she believed this would eventually result in “greater respect for the life inside the womb”.

Asked about ways women considering abortion could be convinced to keep their child, the minister said church- and foundation-run organisations were available to help troubled expectant mothers, while members of family protection services were also prepared to help women make their decision.

“It is perhaps partly thanks to this that the number of abortions [in Hungary] has gone down by 30 percent over the past ten years,” she said.

Novak added, at the same time, that there was more work to be done when it came to increasing awareness and accessibility to different forms of assistance for mothers.