Slovakia’s parliament has passed new legislation that dictates that there are only male and female genders, alongside laws which ban LGBTIQA+ people from adopting children, and laws to stop surrogacy.
Prime Minister Robert Fico announced the laws earlier this year saying he was inspired by US President Donald Trump.
The new constructional defections of sex and gender say only male and female will be recognised excluding trans, intersex and non-binary identities.
The law changes only narrowly passed after they secured a three-fifths majority vote (90) in the 150-seat National Council.
In a statement Amnesty International – Slovakia slammed the passage of the laws.
“This is devastating news. Instead of taking concrete steps to protect the rights of LGBTI people, children, and women, the Slovakian parliament voted to pass these amendments, which put the constitution in direct contradiction with international law,” the group said in a statement.
“Today is another dark day for Slovakia, which is already facing a series of cascading attacks on human rights and the rule of law. The situation of marginalised groups in Slovakia – including LGBTI people – is already dire. These amendments rub salt into the wound.
“Today, the Slovak government chose to follow the lead of countries, such as Hungary, whose policies have led to an erosion of human rights. The only way to stop this decline is to comply with international and European law and introduce proposals to protect human rights for all, while rejecting those that jeopardise these efforts.”
The president of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini, is expected to sign the anti-LGBTQIA+ amendment into law.
