Andorra Confirms 2019 UN Correction on Judge's False Abortion Claim

**Andorran government confirms 2019 UN correction over judge's false abortion reimbursement claim**

The Andorran government has verified that it issued a correction to the United Nations in 2019 following inaccurate statements by a then-Tribunal de Corts judge, now serving on the Human Rights Tribunal. The judge had claimed publicly that the public health service CASS covered costs for women obtaining abortions abroad. Foreign Minister Imma Tor confirmed the action during Thursday's question session at the General Council.

The exchange, prompted by Social Democrat group leader Susanna Vela, also addressed recent remarks by Andorra's ambassador in Geneva, Ferran Costa. Speaking to the UN Human Rights Committee, which monitors compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Costa noted that women must travel abroad for abortions—illegal in Andorra—much like for other treatments unavailable due to the country's limited medical resources.

Tor rejected claims of a direct comparison, describing Costa's input as a targeted response to clarify Andorra's institutional and healthcare realities. "It occurred in a very specific context, replying to a precise request to better explain our situation; seeing it as a comparison amounts to a partial and decontextualised view," she stated. The aim, she added, was to counter undue stigma on women seeking care abroad without minimising abortion's sensitivity.

Vela dismissed the explanation, calling Costa's comments "at best, entirely unfortunate" and insisting on the distinction: women travel abroad because the procedure is penalised here, unlike other medical needs. She highlighted repeated UN demands for decriminalisation and noted the committee's prior view that such travel constitutes a violation.

Institutional Relations Minister Ladislau Baró, overseeing talks with the Holy See, outlined progress toward a regulatory model for decriminalisation. The government hopes to finalise the draft before summer and present it to the General Council, though timelines hinge on Vatican negotiations. He ruled out CASS reimbursements for now, prioritising preservation of Andorra's institutional framework over full Covenant compliance. "We cannot maintain the institutional system while achieving maximum covenant fulfilment," Baró remarked, advocating gradual, constitution-bound steps.

The 2019 incident, raised before the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), sparked uproar but faded after a criminal complaint against Stop Violències president Vanessa Cortés Mendoza for her own UN remarks. Tor anticipates fresh decriminalisation recommendations in Andorra's next UN report.