Swedish Embassy to Georgia affirms LGBTQ rights as key to EU integration

Sweden’s Embassy in Georgia on Tuesday issued a statement to Imedi TV, emphasising that the protection of LGBTQ rights was a critical component of integration into the European Union.

The response followed remarks by the Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who stated that Ukraine must regulate same-sex partnerships and ensure full legal protection for the LGBTQ community as part of its EU integration process.

“As stated by Sweden’s Prime Minister in a social media post, the full enjoyment of human rights by all minorities, including LGBTQ individuals, and their legal protection is a condition for integration into the European Union”, the statement said.

The Embassy did not directly address Kristersson’s specific comments regarding Ukraine’s need to legalise same-sex partnerships.

“Sweden does not impose any additional requirements on EU candidate states beyond those stipulated by EU legislation, which candidate countries must adopt and incorporate into their national legal systems prior to EU membership”, the statement reads.

Imedi TV noted that Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not yet provided a response to their enquiries.

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday expressed concern over statements by the Swedish Prime Minister linking the legalisation of same-sex marriage to EU membership, arguing that such a requirement contradicts the formal criteria for accession.