Andrej Danko (source: TASR? Michal Baumann)
The governmental Slovak National Party (SNS) is not going to support the Istanbul Convention, as stated in its press release today. Hurting people in any way is impermissible and reprehensible and combining this topic with the topic of gender equality is unacceptable, the press release continued.
The chairman of the SNS, Andrej Danko, stated that the convention’s focus on the prevention of the abuse of women presents the ideology of having different genders and sex.
“We all know that it is scientific nonsense. Gender is not only ‘a set of roles’ or ‘a social construct’ that has nothing in common with biological sex,” said Danko, as quoted by TASR. “Nobody chooses gender according to how they feel,” he added for TASR.
The aim of the Istanbul Convention is to remove traditions based on the stereotypical roles of men and women. According to Danko, stereotype is not always a bad thing. He mentioned that Slovak traditions such as Easter or folk dancing are also based on the stereotypical roles of men and women and together they create the Slovak national wealth and national identity.
“The decision-making process concerning whether stereotypes are negative or not has to stay in Slovakia,” stated Danko for TASR. He added that he does not understand why children in schools should learn so-called non-stereotypical roles.
“I don’t agree with several so-called independent foreign experts in the GREVIO council who dictate what is and what is not stereotypical,” Danko added for TASR.
The SNS, according to its own words, will not ignore the fact that more than 105 institutions and organisations asked them not to pass the Istanbul Convention in Parliament and asked for an open debate on the matter.
It is not possible to accept the convention with the objections to the gender ideology.
“The SNS was asked to initiate a process so that Slovakia can announce to international parties that it does not want to be tied by this document and that it takes its signature back,” continues Danko, as quoted by TASR.
The SNS sees the solution in a law regarding the victims of criminal acts, that will not discriminate against victims of violation based on the motives of perpetrators, as it is written in the Istanbul Convention, and accept every logical, effective and preventive measure to prevent harm.
The Justice Ministry suggested postponement of the ratification of the convention. The Ministry believes that the question of ratification causes fundamental contradictions.
The convention was signed by 44 out of 47 European countries in 2011 in Istanbul. It is the first legally binding document that establishes standards to prevent violation of women and domestic abuse in Europe. So far, 23 countries have ratified it. Great Britain and Germany are among those countries that did not.
