Mar 26, 2007News: Euro MPs Urged to Get Tough With Poland
By Kyleovision
(Brussels) - The European Parliament’s Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights last week expressed alarm over reports of the Polish national government’s intended plans to adopt a law which would ban LGBT people from working in education and would also ban awareness-raising of LGBT issues in schools. Such laws flagrantly violate the principles of non-discrimination enshrined in Article 13 of the Treaty on European Union and would also go against the acquis communautaire in particular the Employment Framework Directive, the Intergroup claim[s].
The latest report from Poland adds to an increasing list of incidents involving the Polish National Government.
Already, the European Commission had called Poland to order for its homophobic discrimination in the process of awarding European Youth Programme funding.
The Intergroup announced that it was preparing to table a priority written question calling for an investigation and consideration for the commencement of infringement proceedings by the Commission as called for in Article 226 of the EC Treaty.
"Poland is now continually and repeatedly adopting decisions and considering actions which blatantly contravene existing EU laws,” said Intergroup president Michael Cashman (UK/PSE).
“I see no other option for the Commission than to investigate the mounting allegations not only on LGBT issues but also on other grounds of discrimination, on the death penalty, and on the environment.
“The Commission needs to act as swiftly against Poland as it did during the Austrian elections when Austria was threatened with severe sanctions if it elected individuals that opposed EU principles on equality and non-discrimination,” Mr. Cashman added.
Vice president Sophie in't Veld (Netherlands/ALDE) said that she counted on the Polish people to stop politicians tarnishing the image on their country.
“The Commission cannot continue to ignore such blatant disregard for the acquis communautaire. The Council cannot simply work with Mr. Giertych as long as he does not subscribe to European values,” she insisted.
Raul Romeva (Spain/Greens) agreed. “It’s not just a question of respect for diversity; the Polish Government has clearly shown that it doesn’t intend to abide to EU decisions, despite its legal obligation to do so.
“This attitude was epitomised when the Polish Government decided to ignore the Commission’s environmental rulings on the Via Baltica Highway,” he pointed out.
Alexander Stubb (Finland/ EPP-ED) raised the question of reports that the Polish government might be looking at restoring the death penalty.
“This would set an extremely negative precedent within the European Union and represents yet another breach of Poland's European obligations in both the Council of Europe and the European Union,” he said.
“For the first time in the Union’s history, a member state would give serious thought to the restoration of a penalty that goes against European and global human rights law. This is a very serious matter, and one which we will not allow to go unanswered.”
