EUROPE/EU
1. EU Commission Begins Legal Action Against Hungary and Poland over LGBT Issues
The unelected commission stated in a press release on Thursday that in the case of Hungary, the legal procedure was related to several issues, including a newly adopted law banning the teaching of gender ideology or homosexuality to children.
The EU’s powerful executive branch argued: “Hungary has failed to explain why the exposure of children to LGBTIQ content as such would be detrimental to their well-being or not in line with the best interests of the child.”
The European Commission also claimed that Hungary limited the right to freedom of expression by making the publisher of an LGBT children’s book write a disclaimer stating that the book depicts forms of “behaviour deviating from traditional gender roles”.
2. The European Commission’s actions are a clear attack against Poland’s sovereignty, says influential Polish journalist
LGBT rights will be the main tool through which the European Commission will try to interfere with Polish legislation, warns Paweł Lisicki, editor in chief of Polish conservative weekly Do Reczy
Lisicki spoke on the topic of the European Commission’s (EC) initiation of procedures against Poland concerning alleged “LGBT free zones”. He emphasized that there is no such thing in Poland as literal “LGBT free zones”. He reflected on how these zones were negative PR created by certain kinds of activists, and how the EC uses false information to justify the initiation of its procedures – the commission is playing the “family rights” cards accepted by some municipalities as an attack against LGBT persons.
“So, the EC has manipulated the issue, but this is not the only problem,” Lisicki stated.
3. Migrants from Belarus are “live ammunition” in hybrid warfare against Lithuania
Migrants from Belarus are ‘live ammunition’ in hybrid warfare against Lithuania
4. New Swedish migration law makes permanent residency harder for refugees and visitors
New migration rules have come into effect in Sweden, making residence permits for refugees time-limited in the first instance instead of permanent.
The law was approved by the Swedish parliament last month. It replaces temporary legislation that was brought in five years ago in a bid to bring down record numbers of asylum requests.
Before the changes in 2016, since 1984 the Scandinavian country always issued permanent residency permits to refugees and asylum seekers as a rule of thumb.
5. France: Tens of thousands protest against COVID pass, vaccinations
Tens of thousands took to the streets throughout France on Saturday to protest against the new coronavirus rules announced by the government earlier this week.
The controversial measures include mandatory vaccination for health workers and an obligation for citizens to bring in a health pass for most public places.
The health pass is given to those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have proof of a negative test taken within 48 hours.
https://www.euronews.com/2021/07/17/france-tens-of-thousands-protest-against-covid-pass-vaccination
