The European Union decided to stop funding for six Polish towns that boasted of being “LGBT-Free Zones”. The decision aimed at taking cognizance of systemised discrimination against members of the queer community was announced on July 28.
Stating that the European Union upholds the principle of equality, Helena Dalli, European Commissioner for Equality, said:EU values and fundamental rights must be respected by Member States and state authorities.
This is why 6 town twinning applications invilving Polish authorities that adopted 'LGBTI free zones' or 'family rights' resolutions were rejected.#LGBTI #UnionOfEquality
— Helena Dalli (@helenadalli) July 28, 2020
Our treaties ensure that every person in Europe is free to be who they are, live where they like, love who they want and aim as high as they want.
I will continue to push for a #UnionOfEquality. #LGBTI
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 30, 2020Related stories
According to a CNN report, the six Polish towns that were denied funds had applied to join the EU’s twinning programme. The programme aims at fostering “peaceful relations” and “mutual understanding” between European citizens. It provides funds of up to €25,000 ($29,000) to the members on the condition that it is made accessible to all without any discrimination.
Commission spokesman Adalbert Jahnz later confirmed that the six applications were rejected because those towns could not guarantee they would abide by the objectives. Jahnz said, “Six applications have been rejected because the answer given by the legal representative of the project did not provide the evaluation committee with sufficient assurance that the project would be in line with those objectives and general features.”
As per the International Observatory of Human Rights, since 2019, one-third of Polish towns have declared themselves to be “free from LGBTI ideology”.
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