Lissy Gröner, PES Vice-President, openly questioned the wisdom of placing the new European Gender Institute in Vilnius: “Regarding the unacceptable situation in Vilnius now and the fact that the mayor opposes the European equality policy, I doubt, in my capacity as rapporteur for the Gender Institute, that the Council took the right decision for Vilnius as the seat for the European Gender Institute.”

Sophie in `t Veld, ALDE Vice-President of the Intergroup, called upon the Commission to respond without hesitation: “The Commission does not hesitate to charge in with the cavalry to fight cartels or anti-competitive practices. In the European Year of Equal Opportunities the Commission must demonstrate that it enforces all European laws, not just the economic ones. Banning a peaceful demonstration was ruled illegal by the European Court of Human Rights. Moreover, the activity was organised and funded in the context of the European Year. The Commission must ensure proper execution of the programmes.”

Raul Romeva, Greens Vice-President of the Intergroup, stated: ‘This decision by a local EU authority, together with other similar decisions coming from mayors and officials in other EU countries such as those trying to promote in Poland a law banning LGBT people to become professors or in Latvia not allowing Gay Prides to run normally, show the homophobia in the EU is a serious matter and needs to be taken very seriously by EU authorities, particularly the Commission and the Council. It can not further be seen as a Member State competence given this, in fact, supposes a clear violation of the basic Treaties.”