Several dozen gays and lesbians demonstrated as
Pope John Paul II arrived in the Slovak Republic
September 11, according to <http://www.365Gay.com>.
Holding placards criticizing the Vatican's stand on
homosexuality and same-sex marriage, the protestors
accused the pope of interfering with the country's
social policy.

It is doubtful the 83-year-old pontiff saw the
demonstration; thousands of people were on hand
to welcome him.  But in a country where 75% of the
population identify themselves as practicing
Catholics,
the mere fact that the protest was staged is a growing
indication of the presence of Slovakia's LGBT
[lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transexual] community.

Slovakia is also under pressure from the European
Union to improve its record on gay civil rights.
The country has applied for EU membership and is
scheduled to become a full member in May, 2004.

To meet the human-rights provisions, Slovakia passed
legislation in June forbidding employers from
inquiring
about their employees' sexual orientation, but it
was far less than gay activists were expecting and
short of what the EU requires.

A 2000 directive approved by the European Council
recommended that all EU member states and candidates
pass effective anti-discrimination laws securing
protection from workplace discrimination on the
basis of gender, race, religion, and sexual
orientation.

An EU spokesperson said Slovakia will be encouraged
to approve broad-based nondiscrimination legislation
by the time the country joins the Union.  But further
attempts to strengthen LGBT protections in Slovak
law are expected to be met with stiff opposition
from Catholic politicians.

Church leaders are lobbying the government to ignore
the EU directive.

(Fuck the Vatican!  --HKj)

---

ACVIVISTAS GAY PROTESTA LE PRESENTIA DEL PAPA IN
SLOVAKIA

Unes decenas de gente gay demonstrava contra le
papa Johano Paulo II quando ille arrivava in le
Republica Slovak 11 septembre 2003, secundo
365Gay.com.  Portante grande insignias criticante
le position del Vaticano sur le homosexualitate
e le maritage gay, le demonstratores accusava le
papa de ingerer se illicitemente in le politica
social de lor pais.

Probabilemente le pontifice non videva le
demonstration.  Milles de personas esseva presente
pro dar a ille le benvenita.  Ma in un pais ubi
75% del population se identifica como catholicos
observante, le occurrentia mesme del protesta es
un forte indication del potentia crescente del
communitate gay de Slovakia.

Slovakia es sub le pression del Union Europee pro
meliorar su practicas concernente derectos gay.
Le pais vole facer se un membro del Union Europee,
e, si omne vade ben, illo devenira un membro del
Union in maio, 2004.

Pro facer se conformar al derectos human exigite
per le Union Europee, Slovakia nunc ha legislation
que prohibe que empleatores demanda information
sur le orientation sexual de lor applicantes.  Ma
isto es multo minus de lo que vole le activistas
gay de Slovakia e multo minus de lo que exige le
Union Europee.

Un directiva approbate per le Concilio Europee in
2000 recommendava que omne membros currente del
Union e omne statos que vole facer se membros del
Union inaugura legislation contra le discrimination
in locos de travalio sur le base de genero, racia,
religion, e orientation sexual.

Un representante del Union diceva que on incoriagiara
que Slovakia inaugura legislation comprehensive
contra le discrimination ante que le pais deveni
un membro del Union.  Ma il es quasi certe que
politicos catholic opponera fortemente le inauguration
de tal legislation.

Functionarios del ecclesia activemente incoragia
que le governamento de Slovakia oppone iste directiva
del Union Europee.

(Fuck those Vatican assholes!  --HKj)

(Per Matthew Marin, Los Angeles, California,
"Frontiers Newsmagazine", Vol. 22, numero 12)

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