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COUNTRIES HOPING TO JOIN THE EU MUST RESPECT GAY RIGHTS
Ailsa Sachdev
Passport Magazine
http://www.passportmagazine.com/blog/archives/14623-countries-hoping-to-join-the-eu-must-respect-gay-rights.html
July 16 2012
The European Commission has declared that respect for gay rights is
a definitive and legal criterion for countries that wish to join the
European Union. In a written note that was released to the press it
said, "Rights of LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] people
thus form an integral part of both the Copenhagen political criteria
for accession and the EU legal framework on combating discrimination.
They are closely monitored by the EU commission, which reports
annually on the progress made by enlargement countries with regard
to the situation of the LGBT community." It also cited that the
1993 Copenhagen criteria for EU eligibility and article 2 of the EU
treaty forbid discrimination against minorities of any kind while
articles 10 and 19 of the EU Treaty and article 21 of the European
Charter on Fundamental Rights clearly reject prejudice concerning
sexual orientation.
Find out more about this important issue after the jump...
The reinforcement of these articles has put Armenia in a tough spot.
This is because they are keen to join the EU but are a strict Christian
nation. Armenian Bishop Hovakim Manukyan defends his country's anti-gay
society by saying, "It's not in our culture to accept homosexuals. I
mean, we don't reject the person, but we reject the sin and this is
our freedom as Armenians. Our culture does not accept this." Armenia
continues to hope that the EU can respect their differences; however, a
lesbian Austrian Green MEP called Ulrike Lunacek states, "That is what
the EU also stands for: co-operation instead of confrontation, openness
instead of fear... And that is another good thing." [EUobserver]
Ailsa Sachdev
Passport Magazine
http://www.passportmagazine.com/blog/archives/14623-countries-hoping-to-join-the-eu-must-respect-gay-rights.html
July 16 2012
The European Commission has declared that respect for gay rights is
a definitive and legal criterion for countries that wish to join the
European Union. In a written note that was released to the press it
said, "Rights of LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] people
thus form an integral part of both the Copenhagen political criteria
for accession and the EU legal framework on combating discrimination.
They are closely monitored by the EU commission, which reports
annually on the progress made by enlargement countries with regard
to the situation of the LGBT community." It also cited that the
1993 Copenhagen criteria for EU eligibility and article 2 of the EU
treaty forbid discrimination against minorities of any kind while
articles 10 and 19 of the EU Treaty and article 21 of the European
Charter on Fundamental Rights clearly reject prejudice concerning
sexual orientation.
Find out more about this important issue after the jump...
The reinforcement of these articles has put Armenia in a tough spot.
This is because they are keen to join the EU but are a strict Christian
nation. Armenian Bishop Hovakim Manukyan defends his country's anti-gay
society by saying, "It's not in our culture to accept homosexuals. I
mean, we don't reject the person, but we reject the sin and this is
our freedom as Armenians. Our culture does not accept this." Armenia
continues to hope that the EU can respect their differences; however, a
lesbian Austrian Green MEP called Ulrike Lunacek states, "That is what
the EU also stands for: co-operation instead of confrontation, openness
instead of fear... And that is another good thing." [EUobserver]