International same-sex married couples, in which one of the partners is Slovak, deal with a problem that affects their privacy and family life in Slovakia. (source: TASR - Štefan Puškáš)
A same-sex couple wedded abroad has the same right to be granted permanent residence as applies to married couples in Slovakia, the Regional Court in Žilina ruled in what lawyers view as a groundbreaking verdict.
The Žilina Regional Court was dealing with a case filed by a Slovak-Argentinian couple, who were wedded in Argentina, after they were refused permanent residence by the immigration authority, the Foreigners Police. At the end of the process, which took two years, the court found the decision of the Foreigners’ Police to be discriminatory.
“The court confirmed that by rejecting the application in this case, there occurred unjustified discrimination based on sexual orientation and a violation of the right to respect private and family life as well as freedom of residence (preventing a Slovak citizen from returning to his homeland)," said attorney Peter Kubina from the Dentons law company, who represented the couple, as quoted by the Sme daily.
