Hungary accuses EU of unfounded attack over LGBT law

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's office on Thursday rejected criticisms of a controversial LGBT law and dismissed calls for its repeal, insisting it was in line with EU regulations.

Amid an international backlash, Hungary's government has doubled down on plans to ban the sharing of materials with minors that the government deems to be a display or promotion of homosexuality or gender reassignment.

Gergely Gulyas was keen to confirm the message passed from the Hungarian government that they "reject these attacks" and the law "does not discriminate in any way."

He went on to state that as the law does not allow both "heterosexual and homosexual propaganda for children," then it is neither "heterophobic" nor "homophobic."

On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the law "a shame," and said it "clearly discriminates against people based on their sexual orientation."

The law, signed Wednesday by Hungarian President Janos Ader, was widely condemned by human rights groups and politicians from around Europe as an attack on the rights of Hungary's LGBT community.

Hungarian officials, including right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, have insisted that the measures are necessary to protect children from pedophiles, and to ensure that only parents may educate their children on matters of sexual orientation.

The leaders of 17 of the European Union's 27 member countries issued a joint statement condemning the measures, which they wrote "discriminate against LGBTIQ persons and violate the right to freedom of expression under the pretext of protecting children," using the acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer.