site.btaForeign Ambassadors in Sofia Declare Support for Sofia Pride

Foreign Ambassadors in Sofia
Declare Support for
Sofia Pride


Sofia, June 9 (BTA) - Seventeen foreign ambassadors in Bulgaria
and representatives of UNHCR issued Friday a statement of
support for the Sofia Pride. The event has been scheduled for
June 10 causing a controversy and a wave of declarations against
 it and in support of it.

The diplomats say in their statement of support that promoting
equal treatment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
intersex people "is an important aspect of a tolerant and
respectful civil society". "For ten years now, Sofia Pride has
promoted essential democratic values such as human rights and
tolerance; each year Pride celebrates diversity and highlights
the accomplishments of the Bulgarian LGBTI community," says the
statement.

They point out that the LGBTI community has grown - as has the
international support for it, and all 28 EU Member States agreed
 last year on an annual report by the European Commission that
evaluates the progress of the Member States in this field.

"No person should have to fear discrimination, whether it be on
the basis of ethnic origin, religion, disability, sexual
orientation or sex," the statement goes.

According to its signatories, the Pride Movements around the
world and Sofia Pride are "a living sign of tolerance and
against homophobia sending an important message to thousands of
gays and lesbians across the country - You are not alone".
 
The statement is undersigned by the Ambassadors of Austria,
Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Israel, Italy, the Ambassador for Human Rights of
Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the UK, the US, New
Zealand and two UNICEF Representative to Bulgaria.

In the Sofia Municipal Council, the political groups of the
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and Patriots for Sofia slammed
the Sofia Pride plans and said they don't like it when LGBTI
people "flaunt their different orientation", that the parade has
 a hidden agenda and is aimed to undermine the rights of people
who don't share the LGBTI values.

Councilors of the Reformist Bloc group spoke up for Sofia Pride
and even insisted that Mayor Yordanka Fandakova should attend as
 a token of support. Their call, however, was not supported by
the entire Reformist Bloc group or the councilors from the other
 groups.

In a statement on June 6, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
 for Europe (ALDE) in the European Parliament condemned what
they see as growing LGBTI hate speech in Bulgaria, and called on
 the competent authorities to take measures to protect Sofia
Pride marchers.