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Anti-Gay Law Is Vetoed by Lithuanian President

Move came hours after a demonstration outside Presidential Palace
 

■ Demonstrators outside the Presidential Palace in Vilnius today protesting the law passed by the Seimas that prevents “propaganda for homosexuality and bisexuality”. photo courtesy Tolerant Youth Association

VILNIUS, June 26, 2009  –  The President of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus, has vetoed the proposed new law which was approved last week by the Seimas (Parliament).  The law, described by an MEP this week as “a spit into the face of European values”, would ban “propaganda for homosexuality and bisexuality” as one of the “detrimental effectors” on children.  The ban will not only include schools, but will also apply to “other places accessible to youngsters”.

The announcement of the veto came hours after a demonstration outside the Presidential Palace by students and activists from the Lithuanian Gay League and the LGBTQ advocacy group Tolerant Youth Association.

They were joined by the well-known gay singer, Ruslanas Kirilkinas who called on the President to be fair to all Lithuanian people and not to discriminate against them on grounds of their sexual orientation.

But Vytautas Valentinavičius, the chairman of Tolerant Youth Association, told UK Gay News this afternoon that the law was not dead yet.

“It now goes back to the Seimas,” he explained.  “And all it needs is 71 deputies to vote in favour of going ahead with the law, and it goes back to the President who must sign it within three days.”

Voting last week was 67 in favour, with just three against – and four abstentions.  There are 141 MEPs in the Seimas.

The reason for the presidential veto was not the homophobic nature of the law, but rather there were no definitions as to what is detrimental to the well-being of young people.

Yesterday, President Adamkus, who has less than two weeks remaining in office, said: “I do not know whether negative opinion of the international organisations on this law will have any influence upon my decision.”

Mr. Valentinavičius said he suspected a lot of political manoeuvring in today’s veto decision.

“He could be leaving the matter to the new President, a former commissioner of the European Union.

“The Seimas is at the end of current session and breaks up for the summer in days,” he explained.  “So this could drag on until the autumn.”

“The Catholic Church has an enormous influence on the President of Lithuania as well as Seimas,” Mr. Valentinavičius, pointed out.

He went on to say that the support of international organisations – and individuals from around the world – was very much appreciated by the LGBT community in Lithuania.

“There is not one word about LGBT rights in the statement issued today [by the Presidential Palace] where the President explains his decision to veto the controversial law,” Mr. Valentinavičius said.

“I am shocked with recent occurrences in Lithuania,” he admitted.

“I always thought Lithuania, a member of the European Union, would respect and protect the European values in the same way as it is respected elsewhere.  I never thought that these issues would ever be raised in Seimas.

“However, recent occurrences are a sign to all of us that not all European Union member states are willing to respect and protect European values.”

SEE ALSO

MEPs and NGOs Protest Against Harmful and Anti Gay Law in Lithuania.  Members of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on gay and lesbian rights will today join other people and NGOs in a demonstration outside the Lithuanian permanent representation in Brussels to protest against new homophobic and oppressive law in Lithuania.  (UK Gay News, June 24, 2009)

MEPs and Amnesty Hit Out at New Legislation that Forbids Gay Issues Being Discussed in Schools.  Two members of the European Parliament today hit out at the amendment to the legislation passed earlier this week by the Lithuanian Seimas (Parliament).  And rthey were joined by the international human rights group, Amnesty.  (UK Gay News, June 18, 2009)

Official English translation Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information. (Microsoft Word file)

Lithuania Bans Information about Gays for Young People in Education.  The Lithuania Parliament (Seimas) has passed amended legislation that bans any positive information – or “propaganda” as it is officially called – about gays.  The measure was passed by 67 of the 74 parliamentarians voting yesterday.  (UK Gay News, June 18, 2009)

LINK

Tolerantiško Jaunimo Asociacija website (in Lithuanian only)

 

 

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