Enlargement chief rapped for ‘understating’ bias against gays

Summary:

GÜNTER Verheugen, the EU enlargement commissioner, has come under fire for allegedly understating the extent of discrimination against homosexuals in some applicant states.

Dutch Socialist MEP Joke Swiebel argues the European Commission’s progress reports on enlargement for 2001 were not sufficiently detailed on gay rights. Laws in Hungary, Bulgaria and Cyprus all apply a differing minimum “age of consent” for homosexual and heterosexual acts. “But only the Bulgarian report explicitly refers to this as a discriminatory provision and calls for its removal,” she said. In September 2001 Verheugen told MEPs the Commission would press for respect for human rights, including those concerning sexual orientation, during the enlargement process.