Anastasiades signs EU letter against LGBT discrimination

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades is among 16 EU leaders who signed a joint letter vowing to “continue fighting against discrimination towards the LGBTI community”.

The letter comes a day after the European Commission said it would take legal steps against Hungary’s new anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

President Anastasiades tweeted: “Hate, intolerance and discrimination have no place in our Union.

“That’s why, today and every day, we stand for diversity and equal rights for #LGBTI persons so that our future generations can grow up in a Europe of equality and respect”.

According to the Politico website, the leaders of 16 EU countries on Thursday published a joint letter taking a stand against LGBTI discrimination.

The letter, signed during the first day of deliberations of the June summit of EU leaders addressed to the presidents of the European Commission, Portuguese Council presidency and the European Council, comes ahead of the International LGBT Pride Day on June 28.

The leaders said they made a move “in the light of threats against fundamental rights and in particular the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation”.

Although the letter does not name Hungary explicitly, the country is the clear target after its parliament passed a bill that bans portrayals of homosexuality or transgender people in content shown to minors.