In a recent interview, Hungary's top
diplomat said that it stood firm behind a law that prohibits the
promotion of “gay propaganda,” saying that it is needed to
protect kids from pedophiles.
The law prohibits the discussion of
LGBT issues, including transgenderism and homosexuality, to minors.
It is being compared to Russia's 2013 law that prohibits “gay
propaganda.” Russia has used the law to silence LGBT activists
calling for equal rights.
The European Union has imposed
financial penalties and started legal proceedings against Hungary
over the law and other policies it says are not aligned with the
bloc's values.
Speaking with The
Associated Press on the sidelines of the U.N. General
Assembly's meeting of world leaders, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto
defended Hungary's actions.
“We do not compromise on these issues
because we are a sovereign country, a sovereign nation,” Szijjarto
said. “And no one, not even the European Commission, should
blackmail us regarding these policies.”
The law, Szijjarto said, is needed to
protect children from pedophiles and “homosexual propaganda.”
“We will not make compromises about
the future of our children,” he told the AP.
Critics of the law say it conflates
pedophilia with homosexuality and is pushing the LGBT community
deeper underground.
After the law's passage in June, the
EU's executive commission delayed billions in economic recovery funds
for Hungary.