In my view it is increasingly embarrassing that the United States - falsely claimed to be the land of freedom and liberty - is falling increasingly behind other parts of the world in terms of non-discrimination laws that protect all citizens. Countries once viewed as banana republics in South America and former satellites of the Soviet Union now have more comprehensive non-discrimination protections. Indeed, the USA seems to be moving into a noxious group lead by Iran, Saudi Arabia and other quasi-theocracies in terms of the manner in which religious discrimination is upheld by American laws. Virginia ought to be severely embarrassed too. Now Montenegro - and I mean no offense to Montenegro - has broader non-discrimination protections than the home state of the author of the Declaration of Independence. One has to wonder when Virginia will start erecting signs at its borders stating that no gays, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and other non-Christianist are unwelcome in the state. Here are highlights from ILGA Europe on this development in Montenegro:*
On 27 July 2010, the Parliament of Montenegro with a large majority (67 votes for, 6 votes against and 4 abstained) adopted all inclusive anti-discrimination law which bans discrimination in on the grounds of various characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity.
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ILGA-Europe welcomes this development and congratulates Montenegrin parliamentarians, human rights groups and LGBT activists with this important step towards respecting human rights of all citizens.
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At the same time, ILGA-Europe expresses its disappointment with the statements by Mr. Ferhat Dinosha, the Minister for Human and Minority Rights, who repeatedly opposed the protection for LGBT people from discrimination on the basis of the ’moral code of the society’.
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Montenegro is a potential candidate country for joining the European Union and the last in the Western Balkans to adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination law.
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