site.btaParliament Bans Direct, Indirect Discrimination in Respect of Sex Change

Parliament Bans Direct, Indirect Discrimination in Respect of Sex Change

Sofia, March 25 (BTA) - Parliament Wednesday approved an
amendment to the Protection against Discrimination Act which
provides an express stipulation that the prohibition of direct
and indirect discrimination in respect to gender will also apply
in cases of changed gender. The amendment was passed in a 93-23
vote, with 23 abstentions.

The MPs first started to discuss the amendment last week. The
parliamentary Religious Faiths and Human Rights Committee which
is the leading committee in amending the Act suggested that the
provision be dropped, but the motion was rejected when put to
the vote in the plenary chamber. Then the very wording of the
text was put to the vote but it was not approved either, so that
it was left for a repeat vote at the next sitting of
Parliament.

Labour and Social Policy Minister Ivailo Kalfin came personally
to Parliament Wednesday and urged the MPs to support it. Kalfin
said the amendment did not create new rights but rather
concerned a clarification of the interpretation of the
provision. He said that communication with the European
Commission (EC) on the issue dates back to 2012 and that a bill
had been drawn up by the Plamen Oresharski government
(2013-2014), which however, was not passed, so that a new series
of communications was needed.

Kalfin said that a letter from the EC has arrived at his
Ministry, saying that Bulgaria is expected to comply with a new
deadline for the amendment by March 31 or face the launching of
a procedure of non-compliance with the EU legislation.

Movement for Rights and Freedoms MP Tuncher Kurdjaliev said that
the interpretation on the topic of sexual differences should
leave the area of prejudice, noting that last week Parliament
had been about to allow the latest gaffe that would compromise
Bulgaria's European path.

Ataka MP Dessislav Choukolov asked the MPs how would they
explain their kids what they voted for. He asked whether
anything would happen if Bulgaria did not harmonize one more EU
requirement.


/СН/