Capital of Culture Vilnius: xenophobic and homophobic?

Vilnius will be European Capital of Culture in 2009. Andrius Bielskis sees this is a cause for celebration for all Lithuanians and in particular the residents of the Lithuanian capital. But at the same time he points out that Vilnius doesn't really convey the impression of being particularly cultivated or open to foreigners. "Vilnius comes over not only as provincial, but also as a xenophobic backwater where people couldn't care less about the European Commission's equal rights initiatives... This includes the rights of homosexuals, who are the subject of heavy discrimination in Lithuania. The atmosphere here can definitely be described as homophobic. The hysteria is also evident in the media's reaction to the accusations, in it's failure to stress that it's important to reject all forms of discrimination, including racial, sexual and religious discrimination."

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