May 31, 2006    A senior Member of the European Parliament has denounced the Polish right wing coalition government for the latest outburst of intolerance against minorities made by the vice chairman of the one of the governing parties who has urged that gays attending Warsaw Pride on June 10 “be bludgeoned”.

“This issue of incitement to violence in Poland, which goes un-criticised by the government, must come to an end,” fumed Michael Cashman, president of the European Parliament Intergroup on gay and lesbian rights

“Ministers are now indulging in defamation and vilification of homosexuals in Poland,” he pointed out.

“Today in the European Parliament we are calling on the Commission and the Council to take action to remind the Polish government of its obligations under EU treaties, which includes respect for minorities, human rights and the rule of law,” Mr. Cashman continued.

“This blatant disregard for human rights is echoing around the region.  The attacks this weekend in Moscow are directly related, as is the use of hate speak and discriminatory language in Latvia and Croatia.

“If the Polish government says and does nothing against these dangerous outbursts by senior politicians then, by its silence, it condones and acquiesces.

“The outburst from the Polish MEP that we should stay out of domestic affairs is equally worrying. It suggests that Poland’s right wing government feels it can say and do whatever it likes regardless of the it’s legal obligations.  Our recent history shows how evil can grow if good men and women remain silent.”

Mr. Cashman described the scenes at last weekend’s Moscow Pride as “appalling” and called for the growing trend of intolerance against gays to be discussed at the forthcoming European Summit.

“What we witnessed in Moscow was just another example of a growing trend of intolerance and discrimination against homosexuals which affects not only neighbouring countries, but also existing EU Member States,” he said.

Mr Cashman has written to MEPs in his capacity as President of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights and urged them to put pressure on government leaders across the European Union to discuss the issue at the next summit in Brussels on June 23 and 24..

“Our leaders should be denouncing those who are intent upon the violence that occurred in Moscow.  Intolerance, discrimination and violence against homosexuals has no place in our 21st Century world,” he said.

The European Parliament’s Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights was represented at Moscow Pride by Sophie in’t Veld MEP.

Ringed by television cameramen and radio reporters outside the Kremlin, she gave her reaction:  “The violence and hatred against a handful of gay activists was shocking enough in itself, but to see Orthodox priests leading and cheering on the hooligans is a downright disgrace.”