Three Polish regions scrap anti-LGBT resolution over EU funds withdrawal

Three regions in Poland have scrapped resolutions that declared them free of “LGBT ideology” after the European Union (EU) threatened to pull back fundings. In 2019, the administrative regions of Podkarpackie, Lubelskie and Małopolskie okayed a resolution that created ‘LGBTQ-free zones’ arguing that gay rights were an attack on ‘traditional, catholic values’. The suit was followed by 100 other regions which passed similar decrees.

However, the move attracted the ire of the European Union, which termed them as outright “discriminatory”. “The Commission would like to stress that declaring LGBTIQ- free/unwelcome territories, workplace or services constitutes an action that is against the values set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union," a letter by the European Commission stated.

According to BBC, the bloc later warned five large regions to pull back the resolution or face a blockade of upto €126m ($147m) in funding for their local governments. Although the Polish justice minister opposed the move terming them as “blackmail,” the EU continues to press for the scrapping. Notably, the funds are part of REACT-EU (Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe), a package under which Poland has been allocated a total of over 1.5 billion euros.

Similar situation in Hungary?

The European Union is at loggerhead with both Hungary and Poland over a range of issues including LGBTQ and Press freedom. In July, Hungary passed a draconian law targeting the LGBTQ community. The law prohibits sharing content on homosexuality or sex reassignment to people under 18 in school sex education programs, films, or advertisements. The government says it will protect children, however, critics say it links homosexuality with paedophilia. 

In the aftermath, 14 out of 27 EU members expressed their "deep concern" with newly enacted Bills in a joint declaration initiated by Belgium. European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen openly condemned the Bill too. Similar laws have been passed by Hungary in the past too. In December 2020 the country's parliament voted to redefine the concept of "family" in the country's constitution. This move effectively barred same-sex couples from adopting children thus, met with outcry from human rights groups. 

Image: AP