Ultra-conservative lobby groups are pushing for constitutional amendments in several European countries to limit marriage to heterosexual couples and thereby deny LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) people the same rights, socialistsanddemocrats.eu website wrote on April 2.
“We are greatly concerned by recent developments in several EU member countries, including Slovakia, where the rights of LGBTI people are under attack,” Hannes Swoboda, president of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament, was quoted as having said. “Locking the definition of marriage in the constitution as a union between a man and a woman – under pressure from far-right and religious groups – would significantly reduce the possibilities for future governments to join the many other European countries where marriages between men or women are perfectly legal and enjoy equal rights. We, the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, reiterate our unwavering commitment to inclusion and equal rights for everyone.”
He reacted to the development in Slovakia, among other countries, where after their initial refusal, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) struck a deal with the ruling Smer party on a joint action to amend the constitution. On February 28, Speaker of Parliament Pavol Paška (Smer) and his deputy Pavol Hrušovský of KDH, announced that the KDH will endorse the judiciary changes proposed by Smer (albeit with some reservations), and the ruling party will in return support the KDH’s proposal to define marriage in the constitution as a unique bond between a man and a woman. Smer needed opposition support to pursue its plans for the judiciary, since any constitutional amendments require 90 votes in parliament and Smer holds 83 seats in the house. The KDH has eight MPs.
(Source: socialistsanddemocrats.eu, Slovak Spectator)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
