New enlargement reports: Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina should do more for LGBT rights

The European Parliament adopted its annual progress reports on the accession of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Both countries are invited to do more for LGBT people’s human rights before they may join the EU.

Today Members of the European Parliament completed the annual exercise of assessing Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s readiness to join the EU. Both reports contain recommendations to the countries on LGBT rights, and to the European Commission to monitor progress in this area.

The report on Macedonia welcomes the fact that “three complaints of alleged discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation brought forward by the Coalition for Sexual and Health Rights are being investigated” by the new Anti-Discrimination Commission.

However, the European Parliament also “reiterates its call for the Law on Prevention and Protection Against Discrimination to be amended to prohibit discrimination on all grounds”, including sexual orientation, and “underlines that this is a prerequisite for accession”. The Parliament further “expresses its concern about university and school text books which describe homosexuality as a disease and calls for their immediate modification”.

The report on Bosnia and Herzegovina urges the government and parliament “to bring the country’s legal and institutional framework in line with EU and international standards on LGBT rights”.