Fidesz Rejects EP ‘Cynicism’ over Bratislava Murders

“We say no to both violence and the cynical abuse of human tragedies,” the Fidesz delegation reacted to the European Parliament’s resolution about the murders in Bratislava adopted this week.

In a resolution adopted by 447 votes against 78 and 45 abstentions, the European Parliament condemns hate and violence against “persons based on their gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and sex characteristics in both Slovakia and the EU,” according to the EP’s statement. “MEPs reacted to recent events in Bratislava, where a far-right radicalized gunman murdered two young men, Matúš Horváth and Juraj Vankulič, in front of a gay bar on 12 October,” it adds.

The parliament expresses “grave concern over the frequent use of offensive, aggressive and homophobic language towards the LGBTIQ+ community in Slovakia, including by former and current members of the government,” according to the statement.

MEPs also urged the European Council to extend the list of EU crimes to include speech and hate crimes, asking Hungary and Poland to stop blocking the adoption of this decision.

Human life is sacred, there can be no doubt that all violence against anyone because of their sexual orientation must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” Fidesz MEP Balázs Hidvéghi stressed in a statement and expressed the delegation’s condolences to the families of the deceased.

“However, we still do not accept the practice of the European Parliament to cynically misuse a tragic case to put forward extreme resolutions that violate EU treaties,”

he argued.

According to Hidvéghi, the adopted text makes “unsubstantiated and unacceptable statements about Slovak political figures, the Church; it interferes with rules that fall within the realm of Slovak constitutionalism, and it stigmatizes practically the whole of Slovak society.” “Will not support left-wing ideological statements,” he added.

Photos via the European Parliament