EU to Nations Wanting to join: "Respect Gay Human Rights"

The European Commission has declared that respect for gay rights is a definitive and legal criterion for countries that wish to join the European Union. In a written note that was released to the press it said, “Rights of LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] people thus form an integral part of both the Copenhagen political criteria for accession and the EU legal framework on combating discrimination. They are closely monitored by the EU commission, which reports annually on the progress made by enlargement countries with regard to the situation of the LGBT community.” It also cited that the 1993 Copenhagen criteria for EU eligibility and article 2 of the EU treaty forbid discrimination against minorities of any kind while articles 10 and 19 of the EU Treaty and article 21 of the European Charter on Fundamental Rights clearly reject prejudice concerning sexual orientation.

The reinforcement of these articles has put Armenia in a tough spot. This is because they are keen to join the EU but are a strict Christian nation. Armenian Bishop Hovakim Manukyan defends his country’s anti-gay society by saying, “It’s not in our culture to accept homosexuals. I mean, we don’t reject the person, but we reject the sin and this is our freedom as Armenians. Our culture does not accept this.” Armenia continues to hope that the EU can respect their differences; however, a lesbian Austrian Green MEP called Ulrike Lunacek states, “That is what the EU also stands for: co-operation instead of confrontation, openness instead of fear… And that is another good thing.” [EUobserver]

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