Countries like the Netherlands and Belgium legalized euthanasia; experts warn of potential manipulation and lack of public debate in Lithuania.
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The Netherlands was the first country in the European Union to legalize euthanasia and assisted dying, followed by Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, and Portugal. Austria legalized assisted dying in 2022 through a constitutional court ruling, while Switzerland is the most liberal in Europe regarding this issue, allowing assisted dying under specific conditions. Vytautas Budnikas, head of the Lithuanian Human Rights Association, emphasizes the need to distinguish between the concepts: in euthanasia, the doctor ends the patient’s life (e.g., via lethal injection), whereas in assisted dying, the patient self-administers the means to end their life. Spain, one of the later adopters, legalized both assisted dying and euthanasia, with strong public support. France initially only allowed passive euthanasia, but later permitted a designated trusted person to make the decision for an incapacitated patient, while active euthanasia remains prohibited. Budnikas warns that both practices carry risks of manipulation, such as family members pressuring vulnerable patients for financial gain, or the healthcare system indirectly encouraging euthanasia as an “economically efficient” measure. Currently, neither euthanasia nor assisted dying is legal in Lithuania, and discussions on the topic are not actively pursued by the Ministry of Health. A similar situation exists in the Czech Republic, where discussions remain theoretical, and Budnikas suggests that conservative religious views strongly oppose such legislation.
