A strong anti-discrimination message from the European Parliament

"Today the European Parliament sent a principled message in opposition to all discrimination and all homophobic statements. Politicians and church authorities must heed this parliamentary resolution" GUE/NGL MEP and Civil Liberties Committee Vice President Giusto Catania said today in Strasbourg after the vote on a resolution on homophobia in Europe.

"The content of this text is clear and now the Commission must work on promoting concrete actions against homophobia."

After the failure of the Italian Rocco Buttiglione's bid for the position of Commissioner, this issue has remained on the political agenda of the European Parliament. The GUE/NGL welcomes the confirmation of the need for all Member States to fight the violence and discrimination that people face because of their sexual orientation.

This resolution has its origin in the serious declarations of the Polish minister for education but Catania warned that "it would be a mistake to think that such policies are the exclusive preserve of the Polish government".

GUE/NGL Press Gianfranco Battistini +32 475 64 66 28 David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12
www.guengl.eu