French minister: I was prevented to visit "LGBT-free" zone. Poland denies

French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Beaune has visited Poland on Monday.

"Polish authorities have recently told me they are unable to organise this visit and I'm very sad to hear that. I deplore this decision" - Mr Beaune told the French weekly "L'Obs"

"L'Obs" also wrote that "this was supposed to be a symbolic moment of his visit to Poland, a message of solidarity addressed to the homosexual community in the country ridden by LGBT discrimination".

According to Mr Beaune's spokesperson, Polish officials said the planned visit to Kraśnik "would not have been seen positively, taking into account the difficult situation caused by the pandemic".

Mr Beaune himself was considering three options: cancelling the visit, postponing it, or visiting Kraśnik without Polish authorities' consent. "But in my opinion, that's not the way to treat an EU member-state," he explained.

"I've only decided to proceed with my visit to Poland because there is another crucial topic for me - women's right to abortion" - the minister added.

Poland's Secretary of State for Europe Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk denied the government had anything to do with Mr Beaune's planned visit to Kraśnik.

"That's absolutely not true. No one in the Polish government has prohibited or obstructed French deputy minister's visit to Kraśnik. This kind of suggestions don't serve the visit and our relations well, we will settle this issue through the French Embassy" - Mr Szynkowski vel Sęk wrote.

On Monday, the French politician visited the Women's Rights Centre in Warsaw, alongside Poland's Commissioner for Human Rights Adam Bodnar.

"I stand side by side with those fighting for fundamental rights and access to legal abortion across Europe" - Clement Beaune wrote on Twitter.