This week, in an attempt to have the justice reform passed with consensus from the opposition, the Albanian governing coalition Socialist Party (SP) and Socialist Movement for Integration (SMI) sacrificed the rights of LGBTI people by agreeing not to include sexual orientation and gender identity in Article 18 of the Constitution which will be voted for in tomorrow session of the Parliamentary Assembly.
In a statement today, Albanian LGBTI organization PINK Embassy expressed indignation at the change of position held by the two main parties in the Parliament SP and SMI in connection to their withdrawal of support for changes to Article 18. These changes would have brought Albanian Constitution a step closer to fully respecting human rights and ensuring equality before the law for all citizens.
In its statement PINK Embassy adds: “This morning, the major media sources in the country, reported that the main representatives of the two governing parliamentary parties at the Special Commission for Justice Reform, had agreed to withdraw their support for the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity among grounds for protection against discrimination. The change of this position was due to pressure from the religious communities in Albania, especially the Muslim one and discriminatory and hate language used in the last meeting of the Parliament by right-wing MP Mesila Doda, an open and major defender of the Catholic religion in Albania.
Regardless of the fact that the proposed constitutional changes were not required or proposed by the LGBT community and organisations in the country, they took wide support from progressives at national and international level and zealous defending from a number of representatives of both political parties in the Assembly. While waiting for these changes to be adopted tomorrow, jointly with the entire package of proposed changes of the Constitution, the withdrawal of the support, shows that the influence of religious extremism and intolerance in Albania has already passed every prediction. Giving up to religious demands once again is showing that Albania is seriously threatened by religious intolerance and extreme impact that traditional religions have on secular public life in Albania.
Putting up the LGBT community to such a situation of inequality before the law compared to different social communities is the best indicator that Albania continues to openly discriminate the LGBT persons. This is unacceptable for PINK Embassy.
The political submission of the two parliamentary parties made towards religion communities in Albania, it has casted a serious shadow of doubt on the independence of the Albanian state and secularism! Today members of the two political forces have lined up alongside all those who promote intolerance and religious extremism.
Given this situation, PINK Embassy urges every Member of the Albanian Parliament, who is in support of equality and human rights to not vote on constitutional changes that do not involve among others the protection against discrimination of LGBT persons. On the other hand we will pursue every legal avenue that makes it possible to achieve true equality for every LGBT person in the country.”
ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for the Western Balkans and Turkey expresses deep regret at the failure of Albanian Parliament to agree to add sexual orientation and gender identity in the new Consitutional amendments. Albanian Law for Protection from Discrimination already provides protection on both grounds and excluding them from Articles 18 of the Constitution puts LGBTI people in position of inferiority and dissatvantage compared to any other group in Albania.
ERA also urges the Albanian government and Parliament to stay faithful to national and international committments, treaties and legislation and not to negotiate human rights for political gains and even worse at the expense of the rights and freedoms of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer citizens of Albania.
Source: www.pinkembassy.al