A Hungarian distribution company was fined Wednesday for failing to issue a warning about a children's book about gay parents, hours before a controversial anti-LGBT + law went into effect. The storybook is a translation of E
arly One Morning
, by the American Lawrence Schimel. Published in France under the title
Too Early to Rise !,
by Orca Book Publishers, it was published in Hungary by the Rainbow Families Foundation, an NGO defending gay rights.
But the distribution company, whose name was not disclosed, broke the law on unfair commercial practices, according to an official, and it must consequently pay a fine of 250,000 forints (700 euros).
"
This book was placed in the midst of other fairy tales and thus broke the law,
" Richard Tarnai, a government-appointed county commissioner, told HirTV news channel on Tuesday.
His presentation "
did not indicate that the stories contained behavioral patterns different from traditional gender roles
," he added.
The publisher of the book said Wednesday that “
every family deserves to have a fairy tale that concerns them.
(...) Rainbow families are totally normal
”.
Viktor Orban denounces "
misguided
"
Western democracies
This information comes in the midst of a storm, in Hungary and abroad, about a Hungarian law which comes into force on Thursday and is accused of discriminating against LGBT + people and of equating homosexuality with pedophilia.
The "
anti-pedophilia
"
legislation
, which prohibits the "
display or promotion
" of homosexuality among minors and restricts sex education in schools and in the media, has been met with a deluge of criticism.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it "shame" on Wednesday and threatened Hungary with launching an infringement procedure against her.
“It is a villainous law which assimilates pedophilia and homosexuality.
It is a scandal today in Europe ”
Clément Beaune, Secretary of State for European Affairs
The French government has also reacted to this new law through the voice of the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune. He described as "
scandal
" the law accused of discriminating against LGBT people, which comes into force in Hungary: "
It is a rogue law which equates pedophilia and homosexuality. It is a scandal today in Europe.
»Clément Beaune publicly assumes his homosexuality. “
We unfortunately see that the cases are multiplying, we saw it again in Georgia at the time of an LGBT demonstration last week
, he regretted.
I believe that there is a very serious drift in Europe and we must strengthen our arsenal
".
Human rights organizations claim that he discriminates against citizens on the basis of their sexual orientation.
Hungarian far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose ruling Fidesz party introduced the law, stresses that the text aims to protect children.
Jure Makovec / AFP
