Poland’s conservative leader Jarosław Kaczyński at the weekend said that his ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party would not agree to same-sex marriages and to gay couples adopting children.
Speaking at a political convention on Saturday, he also hit out at a pro-LGBT declaration signed last month by Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski in a pledge to bring in sex education reflecting gender identity and anti-discrimination issues to schools.
Jarosław Kaczyński speaks at a convention of his ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party in the southern city of Katowice on Saturday. Photo: PAP/Andrzej Grygiel
Kaczyński's remarks came after a prominent liberal politician, Paweł Rabiej, at the end of last week said gays and lesbians should be allowed to adopt children.
Rabiej, deputy mayor of the Polish capital and a leading figure in the liberal opposition Nowoczesna (Modern) group, suggested in a media interview published on Friday that gay rights should be brought to Poland’s conservative society in stages.
"First, let's get people used to the fact that [gay] partnerships are not evil incarnate, that they do not destroy the social fabric and Polish family,” Rabiej, an openly gay politician, told Poland’s Dziennik Gazeta Prawna in an interview. “Then it will be easier to take the next steps toward marriage equality with adoption.”
Beata Mazurek, a spokeswoman for Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, responded by saying: “This is a line that was not crossed previously.”
She added that “protection of family is key” for Poland’s ruling conservatives.
She cited an article in the Polish constitution that says “marriage, as a union of a man and a woman, as well as the family, motherhood and parenthood, shall be placed under the protection and care of the Republic of Poland.”
Michał Dworczyk, head of the Polish Prime Minister’s Office, has tweeted: “Tolerance and respect - YES, adoption of children by homosexual couples - NO!”
Meanwhile, the “LGBT-Plus” declaration signed by the Warsaw mayor was criticised by Polish Catholic bishops and the leaders of the country’s Protestant churches last week.
(gs/pk)
Source: PAP, IAR, TVP Info, gazetaprawna.pl