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) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search http://shopping.yahoo.com