The European Commission published on 10th November its annual progress reports [1] addressing the track record of EU accession countries, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo [2], Serbia and Turkey. The EU Commissioner Hahn stressed that the leading principle of “fundamentals first” in the accession process must include the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people.
The EU Commission highlighted alarming levels of discrimination and violence that LGBTI people are facing throughout the accession region, drawing attention to the inadequate response from authorities. The reports on Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania, however, fail to reflect on the absence of adequate gender recognition procedures.
TGEU’s Executive Board member Arian Kajtezovic from Croatia comments:
“The EU Accession countries need to honour their commitment to the protection of human rights and ensure that trans people do not remain second class citizens. The EU Commission must strive to keep trans lives and the human rights of trans people as part of the deal. Quick, transparent and accessible gender recognition procedures that are based on self-determination are key for the fulfilment of fundamental rights.”
One is only free to express oneself without the threat of violence. We remain concerned that trans people more often experience the police as perpetrators rather than as protectors in accession countries. The TGEU report “For the record: Documenting violence against trans people in five European countries” illustrates the extent of violence faced by trans people in Serbia and Turkey.
The publication of the EU accession reports coincides with TGEU’s annual update of its Trans Murder Monitoring Project. During the last year reportedly 271 trans people lost their lives worldwide. Sadly, this year Turkey continues to be the country with the highest number of reported trans murders in Europe
TGEU’s Steering Committee member Kristian Randelovic from Serbia comments:
“Law enforcement structures need to take a firm stance against discriminatory attitudes within their own ranks and do a better job at respecting and protecting basic rights of trans people and their organizations. The EU Commission must insist on significant improvements for trans people’s safety in the accession process.”
###
Notes:
[1]
Find the EU Accession reports 2015 at the following links:
Albania: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2015/20151110_report_albania.pdf
Bosnia and Herzegovina: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2015/20151110_report_bosnia_and_herzegovina.pdf
Kosovo [2] http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2015/20151110_report_kosovo.pdf
Montenegro http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2015/20151110_report_montenegro.pdf
Serbia http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2015/20151110_report_serbia.pdf
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2015/20151110_report_kosovo.pdf
Turkey http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2015/20151110_report_turkey.pdf
[2]
under UNSCR 1244/99