Czech President, Milos Zeman has during a television interview expressed that he finds transgender people “disgusting“.
Zeman was responding to questions about a recent controversial law passed in Hungary which bans all educational materials and programs for children that are considered to promote homosexuality, gender reassignment and the concept of sexuality deviating from the one assigned to a person at birth.
The legislation has been harshly criticised by senior figures within the European Union.
After the controversial bill was passed, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week denounced the bill as “clearly” discriminatory, adding;
It goes against all the values, the fundamental values of the European Union, and this is human dignity, it is equality, and is the human fundamental rights.
“I don’t see any reason to disagree with him,” Zeman stressed, adding that he can “understand” gays and lesbians.
When asked about the law passed earlier this month by Hungarian politicians, he told CNN Prima;
If you undergo a sex-change operation you are basically committing a crime of self-harm. I do not see a reason not to agree with him. I can understand gays, lesbians and so on. But do you know who I do not understand at all? These transgender people. They are intrinsically disgusting to me.
Zeman’s comments come as several cities around the world celebrated with parades and marches aimed at gaining visibility for the LGBTQ community.
Hungary has faced condemnation over alleged human rights abuses, discrimination against migrants and limits on freedom of the press in recent years.
The new law has been strongly criticised by opposition parties at home, rights groups and by more than half of the country’s fellow European Union members – including Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden.
Czech presidents have limited executive powers but Zeman and his predecessors have had a strong influence on public debate.
The president has also leaned toward Russia and China and has been critical of immigration from Muslim countries.
Orban, who has been Hungary’s PM since 2010, has said the law is not an attack on the gay community but aimed at guaranteeing parents’ right to decide on their children’s sexual education.
However, some bloc members are pushing Orban to repeal the law, and have also urged for the matter to be referred to the EU’s highest court.
Openly gay Luxembourg Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel has said Budapest should also be subject to an as-yet untested procedure to cut EU funding for those who violate democratic rules.
He added: “Most of the time, money is more convincing than talk.”
