俄大牧首稱將墮胎數量減半將能解決人口危機

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill called on Thursday for a deep cut in the "horrifyinglyhigh" number of abortions, which he linked to a Western rejection of moral norms.

莫斯科（路透社）——俄羅斯東正教大牧首Kirill週四呼籲稱應該對極高的墮胎數量進行削減，他認爲墮胎是西方對道德規範的拋棄。

"The idea of absolutely prioritizing the value of free choice and of rejecting the priority of moral norms hasbecome a slowly exploding bomb for Western civilization," he said in aspeech to law makers.

“將自由選擇擺在最優先的位置上以及拒絕道德規範優先性的做法已經漸漸傷害到了西方文明。”

"If we could just cut in half the number of abortions, there would be steady and powerful demographic growth."

“如果我們能將墮胎數量削減一半，那麼人口增長將變得穩定和強勁。

Russia's population has been declining since the mid-1990s, hit by falling birth rates and life expectancy in thechaos that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. It currently stands at142.5 million, compared with 148.7 million in 1991.

自上世紀90年代中期以來，俄羅斯人口就一直在下降，主要是因爲蘇聯解體後出生率和人均壽命下降。目前俄羅斯人口是1.425億，1991年時是1.487億。

Kirill's speech was described by state media as the first address by a head of the Russian Orthodox Church to theDuma, or lower chamber of parliament, in modern Russia.

俄羅斯國家媒體稱，這是在現代俄羅斯首位向俄羅斯杜馬（俄羅斯下院）發表演講的俄羅斯東正教大牧首。

It was a sign of the church's growing influence under President Vladimir Putin, who has sought to championconservative Russian values at a time of heightened tension with the West,especially over the conflict in Ukraine.

這表明在普京的統治下俄羅斯東正教的影響力越來越大，特別是因爲烏克蘭原因而與西方關係越發緊張的此時，普京力圖擁護保守的俄羅斯價值觀。

"Russia's ability to stand up in the face of modern pseudo-values depends to a large extent on the active stance ofRussian parliamentarians," the black-robed patriarch said.

“俄羅斯反抗現代僞價值的能力很大程度上依賴於俄羅斯國會議員的積極立場，”這位黑袍大牧首如是說。