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Friday, 26.04.2024, 18:38
Lithuania could recognize same-sex marriages, interior minister says
The minister stated this position on Thursday at the
Constitutional Court's hearing of a case regarding the rights of
same-sex persons who married abroad.
"I think they have the right to marry, to live in
a certain legal agreement entailing various legal consequences. In this
case, I'd take a rather liberal view. I think it could," Misiunas
told reporters when asked if same-sex marriages should be recognized in
Lithuania.
The minister's spokesman, Karolis Vaitkevicius, told that Misiunas is not planning to table any initiatives on this issue.
"It's up to the Justice Ministry to submit proposals on
the legal recognition of homosexual marriages. The minister expressed his
personal opinion when asked by journalists to do so," he said.
The Constitutional Court is looking at whether Lithuania's
authorities rightfully refused to grant a temporary residence permit to a
foreigner who married a citizen of the same sex abroad.
The case was referred to the Constitutional Court by the
Lithuanian Supreme Administrative Court, which examines an appeal filed by the
foreign citizen, who married the Lithuanian citizen in Denmark three years ago,
against the Migration Department's decision to refuse him a temporary residence
permit.
Misiunas said that Lithuanians laws prohibit the Migration
Department from recognizing same-sex marriages.
Neither same-sex partnerships nor marriages are legally
recognized in Lithuania. Several earlier attempts by liberal politicians to
introduce civil same-sex partnership fell through in the parliament.
Public opinion polls show that the majority of Lithuanians
do not approve of recognizing same-sex relationships.