The Czech Republic has become the first former communist country in Europe to grant legal recognition to same-sex partnerships.

The lower house of the Czech Republic has approved a bill allowing for registered partnerships for homosexual couples. The bill had been rejected on four previous occasions, the last time by just one vote. On Friday all present MPs from the Civic Democrats and Christian Democrats voted against the bill, which must now go before the Civic-Democrat dominated Senate.

PRAGUE, Dec 7 (CTK) - The Chamber of Deputies today approved a new anti-discrimination law that is supposed to ensure the equal treatment of people regardless of their race, gender, age or sexual orientation.

The Czech Republic will not join soon the countries in which same-sex couples can conclude register their partnership since the Chamber of Deputies did not pass the law which would allow it.