Justice minister apologises to LGBT+ people for harm caused by Poland
Poland's justice minister has offered an apology to the country's LGBT+ community for harm they have suffered at the hands of the Polish state.
Speaking at a meeting of LGBT+ activist organisations on Thursday, Adam Bodnar, who is also the prosecutor general, announced that an amendment to the Penal Code was being worked on to help fight hate, including hate speech.
"I would like to apologise to you very much for the harm you have suffered from the Polish State," Bodnar was quoted in a justice ministry press release as saying. "We very much appreciate your activities. We feel obligated in terms of further action. You can count on maximum support from the work of the Ministry of Justice, the prosecution service, and my own as Prosecutor General."
Bodnar said the times had changed politically and that everything that had happened in the previous eight-year rule of the socially conservative Law and Justice party had left the new government with a "gigantic responsibility to put things right."
The previous government was often criticised for its hostile attitude towards sexual minorities and had disputes with EU institutions over the issue. (PAP)
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