European Parliament in radical move against member state government - Deep concern was expressed today at the demand for a review of a European Union (EU) member-state's legislation on the protection of minors.

Pat Buckley, international spokesman for the UK's Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), commented from Dublin: "The EU is not supposed to have the power to review the domestic law of member states and this represents a new departure. The European Parliament has today voted to instruct its Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) to review a new law recently passed in Lithuania. The European Parliament has been spurred to this attempt to extend its sphere of influence by the Lithuanian Parliament's move, which has not yet come into force, but which seeks to stop minority sexual groups seeking to influence children. "The FRA is the direct successor of the body which attacked Slovakia for seeking to protect the right of conscientious objection of pro-life doctors and nurses. Since it has such a strong pro-abortion track record, we are concerned that the next target will be one of those countries such as Malta or Ireland, that uphold the right to life of the child before birth. "What is so deeply disturbing is that, firstly, an unelected Agency is being used to interfere in issues beyond the Parliament's competence, and secondly, that that Agency seems to oppose foundational rights like the right to life of the unborn, freedom of conscience and parental rights."

Mr Buckley added: "On October 2, the Irish republic is being asked to vote again on the Lisbon Treaty. Today's motion is a timely warning which gives powerful ammunition to opponents of Lisbon." Mr Buckley paid tribute to the work of the various groups that had lobbied against the EP motion.

MEPs passed the on a roll-call vote by 349 to 218 with 46 abstentions. (57%, 35.5%, 7.5%).