These Lesser Poland Towns May Lose EU Money Through “LGBT Free Zones”

Małopolski Tuchów and Nowy Sącz will probably lose money from the European Union due to resolutions on “LGBT free zones” – the RMF FM journalist learned. Earlier, EU Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli announced that six applications for funding for projects under the EU’s Town Partnership program had been rejected. However, no details were given.

As the mayor of Tuchów, Magdalena Marszałek, said in an interview with RMF FM reporter Maciej Pałahicki, there is no official decision yet, but she can already see that her city is not on the list of those that will receive funding. As he points out, the resolution to create a “LGBT-free zone” was not her initiative, but the law and justice councilors who have the majority in the city council. She herself warned about its consequences and today she asked the councilors again to think about this decision.

Tuchów applied for a grant in the amount of 18 thousand. Euro for the organization of the Partner Cities Days that have been held for 15 years. In February, the French twin city of Saint Jean de Braye suspended cooperation with the municipality, citing the law on the “LGBT-free zone” as the reason.

The situation is similar in Nowy Sącz, where President Ludomir Handzel gave a negative opinion on the resolution on the “LGBT-free zone”, but the council passed it anyway. In May, cooperation with the city was suspended by the German partner of the local government – the city of Schwerte. The president does not know yet how much money the city will lose, but says it is “a tragedy”.

All Member States are bound to respect the EU’s fundamental principles as set out in Art. 2 TEU and the rights enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. They include the principle of non-discrimination – Commission spokesman Adalbert Jahnz told RMF FM.

He informed that on 6th July the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) – which implements the “Europe for Citizens” program on behalf of the European Commission – asked for explanations from 8 applicants who submitted projects under the “Town twinning” program.

All of these 8 applications concerned Polish local authoritieswho – as the European Commission informs – “adopted discriminatory resolutions of LGBTI-free zones or Family Rights”. Meanwhile, the principles of the Town Twinning program state that it should be accessible to all European citizens without any form of discrimination on the basis of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation.

As the spokesman of the European Commission informed, “after explanations received from 7 out of 8 applicants, six applications were rejected”. Why? Because the answer given did not give the evaluation committee sufficient certainty that the project would be in line with the objectives of the Europe for Citizens program and the general principles of the action.

Zbigniew Ziobro’s Solidarity Poland is the main advocate of the fight for “LGBT-free zones” in the ruling coalition. After the decision of Commissioner Dalli, the Minister of Justice-Prosecutor General said that he would be addressing the prime minister in this matter.

We received information yesterday that Commissioner Helena Dalli from the European Commission announced that the Commission was taking funds from six Polish cities. Due to the fact that they have passed resolutions on the end of family rights or LGBT-free zones. It is an unjustified and unlawful action, therefore I asked the Prime Minister to take decisive action towards the European Commission, that such unlawful acts on the part of the Commission are not taken – said Zbigniew Ziobro.

The Minister believes that not awarding the subsidy is inconsistent with the EU treaty. The EU treaty clearly stipulates that the European Commission and all EU bodies are obliged to respect the national identity of individual countries, they are obliged to respect the principle of equality of local governments and the equality of citizens, whose right is to freely shape their own opinions, beliefs and views that may not be censored in any way and in no way may any pressure be exerted on them in connection with any ideology or views of these or other European officials – he assessed.

As part of the “Town twinning” program, on Tuesday, the European Commission adopted a list of 127 projects which received a total of EUR 2,324,327 from EU funds.

It was possible to get co-financing in the amount of up to 25,000 euro for projects that mobilize citizens at local level to debate specific issues on the European political agenda. According to the European Commission, the program promotes “citizen participation in the EU policy-making process” and develops “opportunities for social involvement and volunteering at the EU level”.

In the program, applicants for funds and partners may be: cities, municipalities, local authorities at a different level or their partnership committees, or other non-profit organizations representing local authorities.

The project must involve municipalities from at least two countries, of which at least one is an EU Member State. Town twinning must take place in one of the participating countries.

Among 127 projects selected in the competition, funds were awarded to projects involving Polish local authorities and organizations: Zator commune, Dzierzkowice commune, city of Opole, commune of Iwkowa, commune of Września, Sopot, commune of Niepołomice and the Association of Wychowanków and Friends of the 1st Secondary School No. Tadeusz Kościuszko in Kraśnik.