Parliamentary question

Written question to the European Commission

After more than 100 Polish municipalities declared themselves ‘LGBTI-free zones’, after an outrageous homophobic presidential campaign by President Duda, after the Polish Minister Janusz Kowalski said the whole of Poland should be an ’LGBT-free zone’, the authorities carried out a mass arrest of 48 LGBTI activists on 8 August 2020 because they had been demonstrating against the detention of the young activist Małgorzata Szutowicz.

This gross escalation is a clear breach of EU core values and the respect of fundamental rights. It spreads fear among LGBTI people in Poland, and aims to intimidate Polish LGBTI activists.

1. Does the Commission condemn the mass arrest of 48 LGBTI activists in Poland on 8 August 2020?

2. Has the Commission been subject to threats of a veto on the next multiannual financial framework if it takes action in response to these events?

3. What concrete actions is the Commission planning to take to end the continued attacks against LGBTI people in Poland?

Answer given by Commissioner Dalli on behalf of the European Commission

The Commission condemns any form of discrimination, violence and hatred against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) persons and activists. As stated by the President in her State of the Union address, ‘LGBT ideology-free zones’ are humanity-free zones and have no place in our Union.

The principle of non-discrimination also applies to all EU funding under direct, indirect and shared management.

The Commission will continue to monitor the situation in Poland and make sure that, when implementing EC law, the principle of non-discrimination is fully respected. T he Commission adopted an LGBTIQ Equality Strategy on 12 November 2020.