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# Lithuanian MEP told to retract homophobic comments
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/lithuanian-mep-told-to-retract-homophobic-comments/
- Published: 2021-01-13T13:13:06.000Z
- Updated: 2021-01-15T13:39:11.000Z
- Description: Lithuanian member of parliament, Viktor Uspaskich, has been encouraged to apologise for his homophobic comments or face being expelled from the country’s centre-left Labour party.
- Author: Rachel Badham
- Tags: News, Politics, LGBTQ

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/viktor-uspaskich-74646674-1.jpg)

Viktor Uspaskich

Lithuanian member of parliament, **Viktor Uspaskich**, has been encouraged to apologise for his homophobic comments or face being expelled from the country’s centre-left Labour party. In a Facebook live video, Uspaskich said: *“Today, in some European countries, it is dangerous to say that you are a representative of natural orientation, it has already become dangerous…Most of these people do not advertise, but those who put their d\*\*k under a skirt and go into the street and shout, they are perverts, and such things must not be tolerated.”* He also used anti-LGBTQ+ slurs.

**Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius**, the country’s only out queer lawmaker who represents the pro-LGBTQ+ Freedom Party in Lithuania’s parliament, spoke out against Uspaskich’s comments, calling them *“disgusting”*. He said: *“I have only one question: is it all right when a member of the European Parliament publicly spreads homophobic hate speech?”*

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/rainbow-days-augustas-1.jpg)

A Pride parade in Lithuania

According to [**Euractiv**](https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/01/12/lithuanian-mep-viktor-uspaskich-apology-homophobia-lgbt-people-perverts/?ref=scenemag.co.uk), former Romanian prime minister **Dacian Cioloș**, who leads the Lithuanian Labour party, has warned Uspaskich he could face removal from the group if he does not retract his remarks and apologise. Cioloș said: *“I must insist that you take back these despicable homophobic remarks and apologise to both the public and to your colleagues in Renew Europe for the hurt you have inflicted. I expect this from you no later than Thursday 14 January at noon.”* He said it would then be up to MEPs to decide whether the *“explanation and apology is sufficient to allow you to remain in our group.”*