Janis Smits: gay issue is not urgent
22/11/2006
By
Mozaika
Following the election of Janis Smits as a chairperson of the Latvian Parliamentary Human Rights Committee, a strong condemnation by the Gay and Lesbian Rights Intergroup of the European Parliament and a statement of concern by Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Janis Smits told ‘Neatkariga Rita Avize’ (Latvian conservative and anti-gay daily) today that the gay issue is not the urgent. He also said that he will be able to make a distinction between his personal opinion and his role as a chairperson of the parliamentary human rights committee. He also said that he is aware that not always his and the committee’s view will be the same. Smits said he will try not to cause controversy but at the same time stressed he will not depart from his previous convictions which derive from the Bible.
Smits said that with his one vote he will not be able to limit, ‘marinate’ or prevent legislative initiatives in favour of lesbian and gay interests. He also said he is neither able nor willing to obstruct participation of lesbian and gay organisations during the committee’s meeting discussing such issues and expressing their views. However he stressed that lesbian and gay issues are not the most important issues in the country and promised to concentrate on the rights of families and children.
Immediately after his election, Janis Smits said he will work honestly and will comply with the Latvian Constitution which guarantees human rights to all Latvian inhabitants. He called a ‘huge stupidity’ a ‘fuss’ created in the media because of his nomination.
In today’s comment to the Latvian news agency LETA on Smits’ election, Latvian alliance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people and their friends ‘Mozaika’ said it will wait for further reactions from the Latvian authorities and EU institutions. Mozaika pointed that Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, has already expressed his concerns and that Aigars Kalvitis, the Latvian Prime Minister, is meeting Jose Barroso, the President of the European Commission, this Friday (24 November, 11:30, Brussels) and the issue of Smits’ election is possibly going to be discussed.
Additionally, Mozaika will continue to scrutinise Janis Smits’ activities in the Latvian Parliament and hopes that sexual minorities will also be included in his areas of priorities – rights of families and children. Mozaika stressed that people with different sexual orientation from majority are not ‘separate and privileged group’ [as Janis Smits stated – JL] but part of society to which the issues of family and children rights are relevant. One of such issues is legalisation of same-sex families and a right of same-sex partner to adopt a biological child of his/her partner. Mozaika pointed that children brought up in same-sex families in Latvia do not enjoy the same rights as other children.
Juris Lavrikovs
Smits said that with his one vote he will not be able to limit, ‘marinate’ or prevent legislative initiatives in favour of lesbian and gay interests. He also said he is neither able nor willing to obstruct participation of lesbian and gay organisations during the committee’s meeting discussing such issues and expressing their views. However he stressed that lesbian and gay issues are not the most important issues in the country and promised to concentrate on the rights of families and children.
Immediately after his election, Janis Smits said he will work honestly and will comply with the Latvian Constitution which guarantees human rights to all Latvian inhabitants. He called a ‘huge stupidity’ a ‘fuss’ created in the media because of his nomination.
In today’s comment to the Latvian news agency LETA on Smits’ election, Latvian alliance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people and their friends ‘Mozaika’ said it will wait for further reactions from the Latvian authorities and EU institutions. Mozaika pointed that Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, has already expressed his concerns and that Aigars Kalvitis, the Latvian Prime Minister, is meeting Jose Barroso, the President of the European Commission, this Friday (24 November, 11:30, Brussels) and the issue of Smits’ election is possibly going to be discussed.
Additionally, Mozaika will continue to scrutinise Janis Smits’ activities in the Latvian Parliament and hopes that sexual minorities will also be included in his areas of priorities – rights of families and children. Mozaika stressed that people with different sexual orientation from majority are not ‘separate and privileged group’ [as Janis Smits stated – JL] but part of society to which the issues of family and children rights are relevant. One of such issues is legalisation of same-sex families and a right of same-sex partner to adopt a biological child of his/her partner. Mozaika pointed that children brought up in same-sex families in Latvia do not enjoy the same rights as other children.
Juris Lavrikovs
