Slovenia passes assisted dying law

SARAJEVO (Reuters) -Slovenia approved a law to allow assisted dying on Friday, joining an increasing number of countries giving terminally-ill adults the right to end their lives if they face unbearable suffering with no expectation of improvement.

Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Belgium are among the countries to permit assisted dying, as well as some U.S. states. Last month, Britain's parliament voted to legalise assisted dying, although the bill must still clear the upper chamber of parliament.

Slovenia's lawmakers approved the bill with 50 votes in favour, 34 against, and three abstentions. The legislation follows a consultative referendum last year in which 55% of voters called for such a law.

Treatment options will have to be exhausted, and the right to assisted dying will not be available in the case of unbearable suffering resulting from mental illness, STA news agency reported.

A civil group that opposes the new law said on Friday it would try to gather enough public support to force a referendum on the new law. 

(Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)