Yet another town is terminating its twinning arrangement with an ‘LGBT-free zone’ in Poland
The red area shows the municipalities in Poland that have signed the ‘LGBT-free’ pledge. (Atlas of Hate)
A small town in Ireland is preparing to end its twinning arrangement with a town in Poland that has declared itself an “LGBT+ free zone”.
Fermoy, which is in County Cork in the southernmost part of Ireland, is reportedly preparing to end its twinning arrangement with Nowa Deba in Poland, the Irish Examiner reports.
The decision comes after a third of Poland has been declared an LGBT+ free zone, prompting fierce backlash from other nations.
Local councillor Noel McCarthy, who is a member of the Fermoy Twinning Committee, is planning on raising the issue with Cork City Council and will ask them to sever ties with the Polish town.
Cork councillor hit out at Poland for ‘discriminating against the LGBT community’.
“They are discriminating against the LGBT+ community,” he said.
He thanked the twinning committee in the town for taking a stance against the anti-LGBT+ measure, which has stirred up controversy across the globe.
“Here in Ireland, we recognise gay marriage and we don’t discriminate against any of the LGBT community or any other communities for that matter,” he added.
Speaking on C103’s Cork Today radio show, he added: “We are taking a stance and a town in France have done the same who are twinned with Nowa Deba and have also severed ties with them.”
Here in Ireland, we recognise gay marriage and we don’t discriminate against any of the LGBT community or any other communities for that matter.
He said that the decision to sever ties with the “LGBT+ free” town will ultimately lie with Cork City Council but insisted that it is important they stand up against the discrimination going on in Poland.
“We must stand up to people like this. You can not do this in 2020 and be seen to be able to get away with it,” he added.
A town in France has also decided to sever ties with its Polish twinning partner because of the policy.
The decision comes just weeks after the French town of Saint-Jean-de-Braye broke its partnership with Tuchów in Poland after it was declared an LGBT-free zone.
The town’s municipal council voted unanimously in favour of severing ties with the town due to the discriminatory policy and said the oath that united the towns had been “tainted”.
Almost 100 towns and municipalities in Poland have declared themselves LGBT-free zones.
Local authorities in these areas pledge to refrain from acts that encourage tolerance and must avoid providing financial assistance to NGOs working to promote equal rights.
An “Atlas of Hate” map created by activists reveals the extent of Poland that has signed up to this pledge – and it covers an area greater than the size of Hungary.
The area has continued to grow after the European Parliament passed a resolution that strongly condemned the concept of LGBT-free zones in December.
