Albanian Official: Beat Gays with a Stick

The European Union on Tuesday condemned recent remarks by an Albanian official who advocated violence against LGBT people at an upcoming gay pride festival.

Ekrem Spahiu, Albania's deputy defense minister, told a local newspaper last week of attendees at a May 17 pride festival that coincides with the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia: "What remains to be done is to beat them up with a stick. If you don't understand this, I can explain it: to beat them with a rubber stick."

Via Associated Press:

The EU's office in [Albanian capital] Tirana condemned "any discriminatory rhetoric as well as any incitement to hatred or violence."

Albania has applied to join the 27 nation bloc and Brussels issues annual reports on the country's progress in meeting EU entry requirements.

The EU "strongly urges the Albanian authorities to ensure that such behavior is not repeated," it said in its statement.

Albanian prime minister Sali Berisha has criticized the remarks as "unacceptable."

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