---

Lithuanian Government Bans EU Pro-Homosexual Tour Truck

By Kathleen Gilbert

VILNIUS, Lithuania, August 20, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A touring truck hired by the European Union to spread a message of acceptance of homosexuality has been banned from public property in Lithuania for the second consecutive year, reports the homosexual news service Pinknews.com.

The truck was scheduled to arrive at a public venue in Vilnius today, and move to Kaunas on Friday.  But the cities' mayors refused to admit the truck, and so it will stay on the private grounds of a supermarket parking lot.  In May of 2007, the Lithuanian government had banned the trucks from entering the country entirely.

Known as "anti-discrimination trucks," the huge yellow vehicles have toured the EU each year since 2003 with the motto "For Diversity.  Against Discrimination."  They attract passersby with "activities celebrating individuality and difference" in order that they might "explore discrimination and diversity issues." 

But Juozas Imbrasas, mayor of Vilnius, considers the entertainment to be thinly-veiled "propaganda of homosexuality."  The mayor of Kaunas, Andrius Kupcinskas, said more broadly that the "homosexual festival may cause many negative emotions." 

The ban represents steady Lithuanian resistance against European Union attempts to promote acceptance of homosexuality in its member states.  (See LifeSiteNews.com article http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/feb/08021309.html)

In February of this year Estonia, France, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Sweden, and the Czech Republic were listed in a memo that detailed those countries' failings in living up to the EU's definitions and directives for "discrimination" legislation. The memo by the Commissioner, Vladimir Spidla, set out in minute detail the transgressions of each of these countries and warned that a "reasoned opinion or letter of formal notice" will be sent to each.

The Dutch newspaper deVolkskrant said this meant that if these countries did not comply with the EU directives, the Commissioner could begin proceedings against these governments at the European Court of Justice.

In spite of such intimidation tactics by the EU, the Lithuanian Parliament passed the "Family Policy Concept" in June, which defines marriage as the union between a man and a woman, following Latvia's example in 2005. (See http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08061002.html)

To contact the government of Lithuania:

Gedimino ave. 11
LT-01103 Vilnius
LITHUANIA
Tel. (+370 5) 266 3711
Fax (+370 5) 266 3895
E-mail

Related LifeSiteNews.com articles:

Lithuanian Government Reaffirms Traditional Marriage
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08061002.html

For the European Union Nothing but Full Marriage Rights for Homosexuals Will Suffice
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/feb/08021309.html

Lithuania Mayor Backs Bus Drivers in Strike Against Homosexual Ads
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/may/07051604.html

Lithuania Holds First March for Life and Family
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/may/07050706.html

 Back to Top

---

MORE NEWS: LifeSiteNews.com Home Page  Last 10 Days   Archives   Special Reports

Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.