Poland: Region in the south revokes status as an »LGBT

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Counter-demonstrators attempt to disrupt a Pride parade in Lublin, eastern Poland, in 2019

Photo:

WOJTEK RADWANSKI / AFP

After financial pressure from the EU, a region in southern Poland revoked its status as an »LGBT ideology-free zone«.

The regional parliament in Swietokrzyskie voted in a special session on Wednesday to delete the controversial name.

LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender in English.

In Poland, around a hundred cities and villages have declared themselves to be »LGBT-free zones« - especially in the traditionally strictly Catholic south and south-east of the country.

As a result, the EU initiated infringement proceedings against Warsaw in July.

"Europe will never allow parts of our society to be stigmatized: be it because of the person they love, because of their age, their political opinion or because of their religious belief," said EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen.

Brussels also put the negotiations with five Polish regions about the funds from the Corona reconstruction fund on hold.

As a result, the Krakow region had already revoked its status as an »LGBT-free zone« on Monday.

LGBT activists had urged the EU to act more forcefully to protect them from discrimination.

Activist Bart Staszewski called it a “great day for Poland and a great success for activists and civil society”.

He was "really touched."

The national-conservative Polish ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) has been actively opposing a supposed »LGBT ideology« for a long time.

This allegedly destroys the traditional family model in the Catholic country.

sol / AFP / AP