Lithuanian Parliament rejects bill to register same-sex partnerships / Article

On Tuesday, the Lithuanian parliament rejected a bill at first reading that would allow same-sex couples to register their partnership. The draft law provided for such a possibility for both same-sex and opposite-sex couples, but it did not receive the support of the majority of the Seimas.

63 deputies voted in favor of approving the draft law, 58 were against, but seven deputies abstained, reports LRT.lt.

The main author of the draft law, the only openly homosexual member of the Seimas Toms Vytautas Raskevičs regretted that only two votes were missing by the majority, but he is pleased that the bill has received relatively great support in the Seimas.

Later, MEPs voted 75 in favor and 52 against that the bill should be sent for clarification and refinement in order to be resubmitted. Raskevič promises that during the autumn session of the Seimas, the draft law will be submitted to the parliament for consideration again.

His colleague, the leader of the Freedom Party, Aušrine Armonaite, also promises to continue the fight for the adoption of the partnership law. “It simply came to our notice then. We will continue to fight for change so that all people are equal before the law. ”

The bill submitters reportedthat the Partnership Law will regulate the property and non-property relations of unmarried couples, including their property rights to inheritance without additional duties, and will provide for certain personal obligations between the partners, including mutual respect and loyalty.

The draft law did not envisage changing the existing legal framework regarding the adoption of children. Opponents of the law on partnerships have previously expressed concern that the law would allow same-sex couples to adopt children.

It was planned that the Partnership Law could enter into force on January 1, 2022.

Current Lithuanian law does not recognize opposite-sex or same-sex civil partnerships.

In Estonia, a law that also allows the registration of same-sex partnerships entered into force in 2016.

All in Latvia initiatives of this kind have so far been rejectedbecause they do not have a majority support in the Saeima.

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