Last Thursday the Latvian parliament voted in favour of anti-discrimination law explicitly excluding gays and lesbians. 'Latvia needs to stick to EU law and has to ban discrimination of lesbians and gay men as well. The Commission has to take action against countries who defy the very basis of the EU.' poses Emine Bozkurt, Dutch social-democrat MEP in questions to the EU Commission.

The transposition of existing EU law - including the protection against discrimination on the job market on the ground of sexual orientation - stood at the base of the acceptance of Latvia into the European Union in 2004. 'It is unthinkable that Latvia just ignores existing EU law,' says Bozkurt. 'We saw this coming a year ago. I asked the Commission already then to follow up and extend the Waaldijk report on the transposition of this directive to the new member states.'

This is the seventh time that the Latvian parliament rejects a law proposal to protect gays and lesbians in the job market. This debate, as well as previous ones, was characterised by homophobic and denigrating remarks by Latvian parliamentarians. President Vaira Vike-Freiberga announced today that she will not sign the law. 'I salute her for standing up for European law' says Bozkurt.

Apart from that, Bozkurt wants the EU to examine how the right to a discrimination free work environment is put into practise in the different member states. The public debate can be called homophobic in a number of countries, not only in Latvia, but also for example in Poland. Bozkurt is afraid that the translation into practise fails in these member states.

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You can contact Emine Bozkurt for more information on +32-485-223136