madam president the lithuanian law on the protection of minors from the detrimental effects of public information struck human rights defenders and media people in lithuania and beyond as overly homophobic and profoundly undemocratic
please let me draw your attention to the fact that this law was vetoed by the former president of lithuania valdas adamkus but he was overruled by the lithuanian parliament
in addition this law has been severely criticised by the current president of lithuania dalia <unk>
the law was assessed in vigorous terms by the lithuanian media commentators and civil liberties and human rights defenders who stressed its homophobic substance along with its extremely dangerous political implications such as censorship and self-censorship
this law has little if anything to do with the protection of children
instead it is against gay and lesbian citizens of the country
whatever the case the equation of homosexuality with physical violence and necrophilia is morally repugnant and deeply disgraceful
still it is difficult to believe that the adoption of such a law is possible in an eu country at the beginning of the twenty-first century
personally i take this law as an unfortunate move and as a profound misunderstanding to say the very least
changes to article three hundred and ten of the penal code and article two hundred and fourteen of the administrative code are being debated in lithuania's parliament that will criminalise with the threat of a fine community work or imprisonment anyone involved in the promotion of homosexuality in any public space
if this is not our slide to state-sponsored homophobia and criminalisation of public expression of our gay and lesbian citizens what is it then
last but not least this law is a disgrace but even more so would be an attempt to obfuscate trivialise and in effect justify it
this is to say that i strongly support the resolution
