Poland still defiant.

Warsaw -- C.I. has recently (May 2007, pp. 24-26; June 2007, pp. 18-19) reported on Poland's courage in standing up to the European Union (E.U.) in defence of life and the family. On May 11-13, 2007, the country hosted the fourth World Congress of Families in Warsaw. The conference was attended by 3,300 delegates from all over the world, who discussed such issues as abortion, same-sex 'marriage,' pornography, and ways to offset the "demographic winter" that currently blankets the Western World.

Among those addressing the gathering was Ellen Sauerbrey, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration. Ms. Sauerbrey, who defends the family, had been on the receiving end of a letter from a group of left-leaning European Parliament members urging her to withdraw from the conference. This she chose to disregard.

The congress was also addressed by Polish government members who repeated that their administration had no intention of meeting the E.U.'s demands to follow its regulations on abortion and other attacks on the traditional family. Prominent among these speakers was Education Minister Roman Giertych, who has banned promotion of homosexuality "or other phenomena violating moral norms" in the nation's schools.

The Parliament of Latvia sent to the Congress representative Inese Slesere, who shared with delegates her nation's plans for bolstering the traditional family there.

On May 3 Polish President Lech Kaczynski was found guilty of violating the guidelines of the European Court of Human Rights when, as Mayor of Warsaw, he banned a 'Gay Pride Parade' in 2005. Such bans are illegal in other European countries. However, suspecting ideological motivation on the part of the judges, Poland is considering filing an appeal of this decision. Its legislators have problems with outside authorities interfering with rulings of its democratically elected government.