One cannot tolerate public discrimination and hate speech in the EU against LGBTI citizens and other minorities and it is even more unacceptable that such discrimination and injustice is being set into a national law, as in Hungary, Alfred Sant stated in the European Parliament.
While voting in favour of a resolution on “Breaches of EU law and of the rights of LGBTIQ citizens in Hungary as a result of the adopted legal changes in the Hungarian Parliament”, Alfred Sant told the European Parliament plenary that the new law blatantly restricts the rights and freedoms of LGBTIQ persons, as well as children’s rights.
“The issues at stake go beyond considerations and legal procedures related to Article 7, which have in the past been subject to partisan manipulation. They relate to human rights values as enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty of the EU. About these, there can be no compromise”, Alfred Sant said.
“Under the guise of ‘protecting children from information advocating for a denial of traditional family values’, a government in the European Union is discriminating between citizens on the basis of their sexual orientation”.
“The new law, purposely vague, will create a context in which LGBTIQ people will feel threatened, unprotected and where homophobic attacks could be allowed. This way, fascism beckons.”
Alfred Sant went on to describe the new legislation in Hungary as disgraceful and said that an elected democratic government respectful of European values should equally protect each citizen without any discrimination.
On 15 June 2021, the Hungarian Parliament adopted a law originally intended to fight pedophilia, which, following amendments proposed by Members from the ruling Fidesz party, contains clauses prohibiting the portrayal of homosexuality and gender-reassignment to minors. Additionally, the law prohibits homosexuality and gender reassignment from being featured in sex
education classes and stipulates that such classes can now only be taught by registered organisations.
File photo: Alfred Sant
