With only days to go before Poland joins the European Union, the Campaign Against Homophobia in Craków (KPH) is calling on Europeans and the EU to press the Polish Government to end discrimination.

The call is made as organisers of the ‘Culture for Tolerance’ festival in Craków, which starts just five days after Poland joins the EU, face intense attacks from the Polish media, the Craków city authorities and Jagiellonian University.

“Poland should be held to a standard in respecting its citizens’ rights,” the Campaign said in a statement yesterday (Saturday).  “Poland’s blatent disregard of the rights of some of its citizens is unacceptable and should not go unnoticed.”

“This is the first festival of its kind in Craków, but not the first time homosexual groups have been discriminated against in the history of democratic Poland.  In light of the fact that Poland is entering the European Union on May 1, 2004, and claims to be a democratic country with anti-discrimination laws clearly stated in its constitution, EU members and other democratic countries should be outraged by the treatment of KPH.”

Last week, KPH was informed that a venue promised to them for a discussion between Polish and Swedish artists that have homosexual themes in their work had been taken away from them.

The gallery concerned, Bunkier Sztuki, is co-owned by the city and the directors were informed on Wednesday that the subject is too controversial, unwanted by the inhabitants of Craków and therefore cannot be held there.

“Is this freedom of speech or unlawful censorship,” KPH asks?

The drama of the situation, including the less-than-helpful attitude of Jagiellonian University since press criticism started, is that it is difficult to find venues willing to host the festival events.

“It is extremely difficult to find neutral venues where both homosexual and heterosexual people feel comfortable.  It is time for people other than the LGBT community to be criticized for their actions,” KBH argues.

 “We sincerely hope the European Union ideas about integration are not merely empty words.  Poland should be held to a standard in respecting its citizens’ rights.  Poland’s blatant disregard of the rights of some of its citizens is unacceptable and should not go unnoticed.

“Since it is extremely hard to criticize the discriminatory majority within the country, we turn to you,” the organisation pleads in a statement aimed at the wider LGBT community in the EU.

The ‘Culture for Tolerance’ festival begins on May 6 and lasts four days.

In addition to cultural events and lectures, organisers have planned a march for gay rights and a ceremony at the Auschwitz ‘Wall of Death’ remembering all the gay people put to death by the Nazis.

Details can be found on the Festival’s website – there is an English section