Kraśnik town council rescinds anti-LGBT resolution adopted in 2019

In the vote, 9 councillors were in favour of rescinding the resolution aimed at "stopping the LGBT ideology by the local community", 6 were against, 4 abstained, and 1 did not participate in the ballot - said Daniel Niedziałek from Kraśnik Mayor's Office.

"I'm glad the council decided to rescind the resolution. It was a difficult period for the local government and our town. I'm also happy we will be able to focus on the essence of our job" - Mayor of Kraśnik Wojciech Wilk wrote in a statement he sent over to Polish Press Agency. He was the one who had asked the council to rescind the resolution.

He explained the resolution was not an act of local law, but an expression of the council's viewpoint, yet it's adoption "caused a serious image crisis". "Kraśnik began to be seen as a homophobic town, unfriendly towards LGBT community. Such image has been disseminated through countless media reports in Poland and abroad, as well as comments by LGBT activists and politicians" - the mayor wrote.

Mayor Wilk said the resolution also caused financial consequences, related with receiving external funds by the town. He reminded that numerous critical voices regarding the council's viewpoint on the LGBT issue were being raised by the European Union and the EU Parliament, among others. "In the future, they could translate in concrete financial decisions or other actions sanctioning the boycott of local governments regarded as unfriendly towards LGBT people" - the mayor explained.

He also mentioned last year's project he developed with local residents and councillors, as a result of which the town could be granted 39 million zlotys social and economic development. The money would come from the EEA and Norway Grants. "The possibility of receiving it has been brought into question due to Norway's anti-discriminatory policies" - Wilk added.

Furthermore, Kraśnik mayor pointed out that minority rights are guaranteed by the Constitution of Poland and "there should not be any doubts regarding Kraśnik local government's observing the letter of the law".

The resolution "stopping the LGBT ideology" was adopted on May 30, 2019. The authors wrote in a justification that "radicals planning a cultural revolution in Poland attack freedom of speech, innocence of children, respect for family and school, as well as freedom of entrepreneurs".

In the text titled "Local government free of 'LGBT' ideology", the councillors said they were protesting against "imposing exaggerated problems and artificial conflicts by the "LGBT ideology", and to oppose "lawless appointing of political correctness officers in schools".

We shall do all we can to prevent people interested in early sexualization of Polish children, in line with so-called WHO standards, from entering schools. (...) We will not allow exerting administrative pressure to enforce political correctness (often rightly referred to as homo-propaganda) in certain professions" - the statement reads.

There had three prior attempts to rescind the resolution. The fourth one, on Thursday, was successful.