FAKE NEWS: The EU makes Moldova's accession conditional on the legalization of same-sex marriages

“The accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU, conditional on the legalization of LGBT marriages”, headlined national.ro, the topic being immediately taken up by pro-Kremlin news sites in the Republic of Moldova and Russia. In fact, it is not an obligation, but a recommendation from May of the European Parliament regarding the rights of the LGBT community. Moreover, the Republic of Moldova later obtained the status of candidate country without having to legalize marriages between people of the same sex.

NEWS: “The European Union has called the Republic of Moldova to allow same-sex marriage as a condition for its future EU membership. Moreover, in the annual report on the implementation of the EU-Republic of Moldova Association Agreement, there is also a request regarding the democratic access to agricultural land, which translates, in fact, into allowing their sale to foreign citizens.

With the 60 pages of conditions and progress that the Republic of Moldova must make in order to enter the European Union, it will probably take about 50 years. One of the conditions imposed on the Government and Parliament in Chisinau is to allow LGBT marriages, although the EU legislation does not oblige member states to allow or recognize same-sex partnerships or marriages. In the chapter on human rights and fundamental freedoms, the EU asks the Republic of Moldova to remove the constitutional ban on same-sex marriages established in 1994 and to establish measures to combat discrimination for LGBTI people” (national.ro).

“Moldova will have to legalize same-sex marriages in exchange for a potential accession. The European Parliament insisted on the legalization of same-sex marriages”. (life.ru)

NARRATIVE: The EU makes the accession of the Republic of Moldova conditional on the legalization of LGBT marriages

LOCAL CONTEXT/ETHOS: With a fairly conservative society, in which the Church enjoys the greatest credibility and in which a large number of citizens are oriented towards Eurasian integration, the LGBT topic is quite sensitive in the Republic of Moldova.

It has been used for political purposes for at least 10 years, as it happened in the case of the protests against the equal opportunities law in 2012. The fact that the leader of the pro-European forces, Maia Sandu, is not married   was used  in the presidential election campaign of 2016, and a rumor that she was gay was promoted by the state media during the 2019 parliamentary elections.  

Topics related to the LGBT community have been used for years by Russian propaganda (or ultraconservatives influenced by it or with similar ideas) in its attempts to discredit the European Union. Thus, the EU is presented as “Gayropa”, a space in antithesis to that of traditional, Christian values, which Russia would represent; a false equivalence is drawn between homosexuality and pedophilia to convince the public that pedophilia is being legalized; the idea of ​​an “LGBT agenda” that the EU would try to impose is induced; finally, an attempt is made to identify human rights, which represent a fundamental value of the European community, with the promotion and encouragement of non-traditional sexual relations.

PURPOSE: To associate the European integration of the Republic of Moldova with sensitive subjects and decisions that have the support of a small part of the population (in the present case the possible granting of additional rights to sexual minorities) in order to confuse and reduce the number of supporters of European integration. At the same time, to counterbalance Russia, where “traditional values” are defended (life.ru recalls that Vladimir Putin promulgated the law banning LGBT propaganda).

WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE:  The annual report on the implementation of the EU – Republic of Moldova Association Agreement  was approved by the European Parliament in May, but published in the EU Journal on December 16, which probably explains the launch of this media campaign just now. The report contains a series of findings and recommendations regarding the Republic of Moldova, but it is not binding.

Moreover, the sentence regarding same-sex marriages is a recommendation, not an obligation or condition. “It invites the Republic of Moldova to eliminate the constitutional ban on same-sex marriages established in 1994 and to establish measures to combat discrimination for LGBTI people”, according to the document. Therefore, the European Parliament does not oblige and does not make the accession to the EU conditional on amending the Constitution; in fact, accession is not even the subject of the report in which the recommendation appears. Moreover, the European Parliament adopted, at a later date, a resolution in which it explicitly asks the European Council to grant the Republic of Moldova the status of EU candidate country .

On June 23, the Republic of Moldova obtained this status, that is, it deepened its relations with the community bloc, without offering additional rights to sexual minorities. Moreover, none of the 9 conditionalities imposed by Brussels for advancing on the European path refer to this subject.

This fact is also confirmed by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration from Chisinau, Daniel Vodă, who commented for Radio Moldova the news about the alleged conditioning as “a gross fake, spread to manipulate public opinion”.

The West/EU do not have a pro-LGBT agenda but one that is pro-respect for human rights and the rights of minorities, including sexual minorities.

GRAIN OF TRUTH: The annual report on the implementation of the EU-Republic of Moldova Association Agreement “invites the Republic of Moldova to remove the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage established in 1994 and to establish measures to combat discrimination for LGBT persons”.

OFFICIAL REACTIONS: “This is a gross fake, spread to manipulate public opinion. This document does not express the list of conditions for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union. I remind you that the nine recommendations of the European Commission exist and are public, including on the MFAEI website, and can be found in the action plan approved by the National Commission for European Integration”, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration in Chisinau, Daniel Vodă, told Radio Moldova.