BRATISLAVA, April 5, (WEBNOVINY) — The committee for rights of LGBT persons cannot be a subject of political squabbling and private opinions or attitudes ensuing from an a priori negative attitude regarding any sexual minorities‘ related issues, said executive director and spokeswoman of the Rainbow PRIDE Bratislava Romana Schlesinger. “The KDH thinks that the committee for elimination of racism, intolerance, and xenophobia is enough to tackle this issue. However, if it was true, neither further committees that are already part of the aforementioned council would make sense,” thinks Schlesinger. She named the committees for ethnic minority rights, seniors, disabled persons or gender equality.
Schlesinger said that they view these opinions as personal opinions of Christian-Democratic politicians while they are again shocked by ideology of their words. They are in no case acceptable and in compliance with the Slovak Republic’s commitments ensuing from international agreements and conventions of which Slovakia is a signatory.
Based on the KDH initiative the Cabinet has again halted a debate on establishment of a committee for rights of LGBT persons, which was to be established in line with the statute of the Cabinet’s Council for Human Rights, Ethnic Minorities and Gender Equality. The Cabinet’s Council recommended its establishment to the Cabinet at its first meeting on April 12. The only political party considering the establishment of this committee as natural protection of human rights is the liberal SaS. Schlesinger however believes that as soon as on June 4 when the second Rainbow PRIDE is held in Bratislava, its participants will be able to celebrate the first step of Slovakia on the long path to acceptation of the issue of non-heterosexual minorities represented by the establishment of the LGBT committee. “We firmly believe that we will not be forced again to put the Slovak Republic into the spotlight for ignoring this topic and making one group of its inhabitants invisible.
SITA