Hungary Tells EU Its Law Protects Children, Doesn’t Target LGBTQ

(Bloomberg) -- Hungary rejected European Union accusations that its recently passed anti-pedophilia law is homophobic, telling the bloc it can’t dictate how children should be raised.

In a reply to EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, Justice Minister Judit Varga said Wednesday that it’s Hungary’s right to protect its “culture, national identity and the family s rooted in them.” She also reiterated objections to EU infringement proceedings initiated as a result of the legislation.

“We reject categorically the assumption that the purpose of the law would be exclusion or discrimination -- it’s only about the upbringing of Hungarian children and the protection of minors,” Varga said in a Facebook post. “They try to punish us only because we don’t let the LGBTQ lobby into Hungarian schools and kindergartens.”

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