Politicians ignore the human rights of homosexual, bisexual and transgender citizens of Bulgaria
20/10/2005
By
Desislava Petrova
The Bulgarian gay organisation “Gemini” is the only national membership based organisation, defending the human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender persons in Bulgaria. As advocacy organisation, Gemini has requested support numerous times from the Bulgarian political parties and MPs. For already 13 years of its existence, Gemini has received only one response to its request for support – from the Bulgarian Socialists Youth, the youth branch of the Bulgarian Socialists Party.
When BGO Gemini joined the international campaign for the international recognition of 17th may as Day Against Homophobia, the organisation requested support to its effort from all Bulgarian political parties, namely the ruling party NDSV (National Movement Simeon The Second), BSP (Bulgarian Socialists Party), ODS (United Democrats Union), etc. The request for support was also addressed to the Prime Minister of Republic of Bulgaria Mr. Simeon Saxe-Coburg. None of the Bulgarian MPs or political parties supported the campaign for official recognition of the Day Against Homofobia. Although the campaign received official support from the Green Party in the European Parliament, the Parliamentary group of PES in the European Parliament and many MPs in the world, there was not even one MP or party in Bulgaria to support this initiative.
Concerned about the political ignorance and in relation to the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Bulgaria on 25th of June 2005, BGO Gemini and Center for Independent Living (advocacy organisation for the human rights of people with disabilities), developed a questionnaire to all candidates for MPs. The questionnaire follows the initiative of the human rights organisations in the EU member states “Towards a Europe of democracy and fundamental rights for all”, launched in April 2004. The purpose of the questionnaire was to provide for adequate information about the position of every candidate for MPs on the problems of sexual minorities and people with disabilities in Bulgaria.
The main questions in the questionnaire are related to the fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and the normative settlement of registered partnership of same-sex and opposite-sex couples.
The specific questions addressed to the future MPs are will they will support initiatives for: criminalization of hate crimes, motivated of homophobia; inclusion of the term “sexual orientation” to all social specifications based on which is forbidden discrimination in the overall Bulgarian legislation, including the Constitution; adoption of simplified procedure for change of the personal documents, when this is required because of gender identification; recognition of the right of adoption and full parent’s responsibility on the children of the partner in justified partnership of the couple; the right of the partner to receive information on the health condition of the other; the right of health insurance; the right of guardianship and child adoption; the right of sick-leave in case of the other partner’s sickness or dead; the right of inheritance, etc.
The questionnaire was sent individually to all candidates for MPs by political party with a request for answer latest 15th June. On a dedicated press conference BGO Gemini announced before the Bulgarian media that the received answers will be announced publicly on 20th June.
By the deadline, 15th of June, BGO Gemini has received only one completed questionnaire – from Minister of Defence Mr. Nikolay Svinarov. All of the rest candidates for MPs and the Bulgarian parties continue to ignore the lesbian and gay community and the people with disabilities, though the numerous requests for answer during the last 10 days.
We can no longer tolerate the ignorance of gays and lesbians and other social groups by an individuals and parties who are running for the highest posts in the republic and who declare to be representatives of the nation. We can no longer accept the fact that we are treated as second-class citizens only because we are of a different sexual orientation that the dominant one or we have any disability.
Ignorance of the human rights for ALL citizens cannot stand in a country that will be soon part of the European Community and values the principle of the democracy and active citizenship voice.
We are concerned that this ignorance and inadequate attitude towards gays and lesbians, demonstrated by the politicians during the last 13 years, is likely to be the official position of the next government.
That is why we're calling on all authorities and political parties to take a stand about the disregard of the Bulgarian politicians of the interests of citizens who have the right to vote for individuals, standing for the equality of ALL citizens of Bulgaria.
When BGO Gemini joined the international campaign for the international recognition of 17th may as Day Against Homophobia, the organisation requested support to its effort from all Bulgarian political parties, namely the ruling party NDSV (National Movement Simeon The Second), BSP (Bulgarian Socialists Party), ODS (United Democrats Union), etc. The request for support was also addressed to the Prime Minister of Republic of Bulgaria Mr. Simeon Saxe-Coburg. None of the Bulgarian MPs or political parties supported the campaign for official recognition of the Day Against Homofobia. Although the campaign received official support from the Green Party in the European Parliament, the Parliamentary group of PES in the European Parliament and many MPs in the world, there was not even one MP or party in Bulgaria to support this initiative.
Concerned about the political ignorance and in relation to the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Bulgaria on 25th of June 2005, BGO Gemini and Center for Independent Living (advocacy organisation for the human rights of people with disabilities), developed a questionnaire to all candidates for MPs. The questionnaire follows the initiative of the human rights organisations in the EU member states “Towards a Europe of democracy and fundamental rights for all”, launched in April 2004. The purpose of the questionnaire was to provide for adequate information about the position of every candidate for MPs on the problems of sexual minorities and people with disabilities in Bulgaria.
The main questions in the questionnaire are related to the fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and the normative settlement of registered partnership of same-sex and opposite-sex couples.
The specific questions addressed to the future MPs are will they will support initiatives for: criminalization of hate crimes, motivated of homophobia; inclusion of the term “sexual orientation” to all social specifications based on which is forbidden discrimination in the overall Bulgarian legislation, including the Constitution; adoption of simplified procedure for change of the personal documents, when this is required because of gender identification; recognition of the right of adoption and full parent’s responsibility on the children of the partner in justified partnership of the couple; the right of the partner to receive information on the health condition of the other; the right of health insurance; the right of guardianship and child adoption; the right of sick-leave in case of the other partner’s sickness or dead; the right of inheritance, etc.
The questionnaire was sent individually to all candidates for MPs by political party with a request for answer latest 15th June. On a dedicated press conference BGO Gemini announced before the Bulgarian media that the received answers will be announced publicly on 20th June.
By the deadline, 15th of June, BGO Gemini has received only one completed questionnaire – from Minister of Defence Mr. Nikolay Svinarov. All of the rest candidates for MPs and the Bulgarian parties continue to ignore the lesbian and gay community and the people with disabilities, though the numerous requests for answer during the last 10 days.
We can no longer tolerate the ignorance of gays and lesbians and other social groups by an individuals and parties who are running for the highest posts in the republic and who declare to be representatives of the nation. We can no longer accept the fact that we are treated as second-class citizens only because we are of a different sexual orientation that the dominant one or we have any disability.
Ignorance of the human rights for ALL citizens cannot stand in a country that will be soon part of the European Community and values the principle of the democracy and active citizenship voice.
We are concerned that this ignorance and inadequate attitude towards gays and lesbians, demonstrated by the politicians during the last 13 years, is likely to be the official position of the next government.
That is why we're calling on all authorities and political parties to take a stand about the disregard of the Bulgarian politicians of the interests of citizens who have the right to vote for individuals, standing for the equality of ALL citizens of Bulgaria.
