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Politicians Try to Scupper Baltic Gay Pride Parade With Petition to Prosecution Office
MP claims parade will cause a riot
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LANGUAGE OPTIONS This article is only available in English. For online instant translation in selected other languages, see below. |
BRUSSELS, March 15, 2010 – A Lithuanian MP is attempting to scupper plans for the Baltic Gay Pride parade scheduled for early May in the Lithuanian capital, UK Gay News learned today from the office of the European Parliament’s all-party ‘Intergroup’ for LGBT rights.
Petras Gražulis, a member of the Lithuanian Order and Justice (Tvarka ir Teisingumas) party, said last week that he had the signatures of “at least” 50 parliamentarians on a petition to the Prosecution Office following the issuing of a permit by the Vilnius municipal government for the Gay Pride parade on May 8.
The petition claims that the Gay Pride parade would violate the recently-introduced and controversial Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information and contradicts the Conception of Family Policy adopted by Parliament.
The parade, Mr. Gražulis says, would be against the interests of Roman Catholics in the country.
In addition, according to the petitioners, the parade could become “a centre of attraction for patriotic youth and other active citizens”. And, they claim, this could lead to riots.
Mr Gražulis, who is well know contradictory outbursts, told the Baltic News Service last week that he was still collecting signatures from members of parliament.
“At least 50 members of parliament from all parties have already signed,” he told the news agency.
Mr Gražulis claims in his petition that that the municipal administration of the capital city failed to consider the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information that came into effect at the beginning of March.
According to the petition, “the parade and its nature should be considered as advertising the sexual attitudes of the Lithuanian Gay League (LGL), its members, and other participants in the parade, advocating sexual relations, and disseminating positive attitudes towards non-traditional families”.
“It is obvious that one of the aims of the parade, For Equality, is the promotion of the organisation and attraction of new members — also the demonstration of a positive attitude towards non-traditional families.
“Therefore, the parade may be treated as the dissemination of public information,” the petition states.
The gay parade, the petitioners believe, will insult people of the Catholic faith, who are purportedly in the majority in Lithuania.
The organisation of the parade would also cause danger to the safety of the public, because it may result in a riot, the petition claims.
MEPs are today travelling to Brussels and are unavailable for comment. However, a statement from the LGBT Rights Intergroup is expected tomorrow (March 16).
A spokesperson at ILGA-Europe told UK Gay News this evening that the Brussels-based NGO is “following the developments in Lithuania very closely and [is] particularly vigilant regarding how and if the recent law on Protection of Minors will be interpreted to limit the activities of LGBT organisations”.
SEE ALSO
Lithuanian ‘Anti Gay’ Law on the Protection of Minors Enters Statute Book Today. The controversial Lithuanian Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effects of Public Information comes into force today. The law, in its earlier drafts, was seen as one of the most ‘anti gay’ pieces of legislation to have been passed by a member state of the European Union. (UK Gay News, March 1, 2010)
MEPs Slam Lithuanian ‘Gay Hate Law’ in European Parliament. European values and surprise that a member state of the European Union could introduce what is seen as a “homophobic” law in the 21st century came to the fore as MEPs debated the “Law on the Protection of Minors from the Detrimental Effects of Public Information”, passed by the Lithuanian Seimas Parliament last June and due to become effective in March 2010. (UK Gay News, September 16, 2009)
MEPs to Quiz European Council and Commission on Lithuanian ‘Anti Gay’ Law. MEPs are set to quiz officials from the European Council of Ministers and the European Commission at the plenary session of the European Parliament this afternoon on the controversial ‘anti-gay’ legislation passed by the Lithuanian Seimas (Parliament) last summer. (UK Gay News, September 16, 2009)
Anti-Gay Law Is Vetoed by Lithuanian President. 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”. (UK Gay News, June 26, 2009)
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
Lithuania Bans Information about Gays for Young People in Education
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Posted: 15 Mar 2010 at 17:00 (UK time) |
