The Slovak Bishops Conference (KBS) at its session in the mountain resort of Donovaly on June 18 criticised the spreading of gender ideology, and the Nationwide Human Rights Strategy sponsored by Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák in particular.
“We regret to say that this document is incomplete and ideologically burdened,” KBS general secretary and Bishop of Banská Bystrica Marian Chovanec said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. “Our repeated proposals notwithstanding, this document doesn’t take into account the following issues: the right to life of the unborn, freedom of conscience, parents’ rights and religious freedom. Conversely, it’s evident from several appendices that the strategy is aimed at spreading the gender ideology in our society and the introduction of registered same-sex partnerships. This contributes to the crippling of families and their decline.”
He further said that gender ideology is spreading in our society, giving as evidence of this the new application for university study which in place of father and mother states only boxes for parent one and parent two. According to the bishop, further evidence of this is a “commission of the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry worth more than €550,000 for promoting gender ideology in the media”.
The Nationwide Human Rights Strategy was presented by Lajčák at the parliamentary Human Rights and Ethnic Minorities Committee a day earlier. While the committee didn’t release any resolution on the strategy, Lajčák said that the document will most probably be debated by the government by the end of this month.
Committee member Béla Bugár (Most-Híd) also complained about the strategy. He said, according to TASR, that even though proposals were allowed to be sent to the preparation group, nothing has been accepted. Bugár also asked why the extensive 14 appendices haven’t been made an integral part of the strategy. Lajčák responded that they have only an informational character, and can’t be part of the document, as otherwise consensus throughout society on the issue would never be achieved. He claimed that the document would then “cause an explosion” and another 10 years would be needed to reach consensus.
The Centre for Bio-ethical Reform last week voiced criticism of the appendix on LGBTI (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans-sexuals and inter-sexuals) pointing out that the strategy, among other novelties, introduces carrying out sex-change operations via public health insurance. It also criticises the appendices, which it claims will infringe the freedom of speech, conscience and religious liberty of those who would disagree with the introduction of new LGBTI rights.
The opposition Christian-Democratic Movement (KDH) also has serious reservations toward the Strategy. KDH Chairman Ján Figeľ presented this position of his party at a meeting with Lajčák on June 18. KDH spokesman Matej Kováč, on behalf of Figeľ, expressed serious reservations toward the document, particularly its several non-systemic annexes. KDH expects a more balanced approach to the strategy that would not be influenced by “gender ideology” and tackle the real problems of our citizens and the population from the viewpoint of respect for and implementation of fundamental rights and freedoms, equality between men and women, and the status of minorities, without introducing above-standard rights into various areas of life. The SITA newswire quoted him as having said.
KDH also pointed out, according to TASR, that the Strategy even failed to receive the support of the parliamentary Human Rights and Ethnic Minorities Committee on June 17.
(Source: TASR, SITA)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
