The European Union Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, has publicly reacted in defense of the EU Ambassador to Albania, Silvio Gonzato, following statements by the leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha.
Through a post on the X platform, Kos emphasized that gender equality and non-discrimination are fundamental principles of the European Union and a mandatory part of the integration process.
Her reaction came after Berisha addressed Ambassador Gonzato during the debate in Parliament on the draft law on gender equality. Berisha said that he respects the sexual orientation of every citizen, but accused the ambassador of trying to “impose standards of multiple gender affiliation.”
"We respect everyone's sexual orientation, but your efforts to impose standards of multiple gender affiliation, of gender in wide diversity, in addition to the binary one, on Albanian society, and I say here, you are binary even in your status," Berisha declared.
In her response, Commissioner Kos explained that the gender equality initiatives are not personal requests of the ambassador, but European Union standards that Albania must meet on the path to membership.
"Gender equality and non-discrimination are an integral part of EU law. These standards are not personal demands of Ambassador Gonzato. Any attack on him is unacceptable," Kos stressed in her reaction.
