Bill on Registered Partnerships rejected by parliament
25/04/2006
Submitted by
Aleks Gajsek
Bill on Registered Partnerships rejected by parliament
For the first time a bill on Registered Partnership, which would expand on the limited domestic partner law and allow same-sex couples to officially register their unions, where discussed in Sabor, the Croatian parliament. The bill was opposed by the ruling conservative party and other parties on the right of the centre.
The bill was filed by independent deputy Ivo Banac and Sime Lucin from the Social Democratic Party, the main opposition party. They proposed that gay couples should be granted the right to register their partnerships, although not officially marry. Besides making it possible for same-sex couples to officially register their unions they would be given the same health, social security, tax, pension, and inheritance rights as heterosexual couples.
The bill was strongly supported by the Social Democratic Party of Croatia and, after the right to adopt a child had been excluded from the proposed bill, also the Croatian People’s Party. The bill was opposed by the ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Party, Croatian Party of Rights, Croatian Peasants’ Party and the Istrian Democratic Assembly.
During the debate in parliament members of the Croatian Democratic Union and other right of the centre parties made homophobic statements and said they would vote together making it impossible for the bill to win the necessary 76 votes in the 151-seat chamber.
“The whole universe is heterosexual, from an atom to a fly and an elephant”, declared Lucija Cikes, a member of the Croatian Democratic Union.
Her statement was strongly criticised in media the day after the debate in Sabor.
“Croats are Catholics and, as such, against homosexual couples,” said Karmela Caparin, another ruling party deputy.
Her generalising statement was opposed by members of the Social Democratic Party.
Independent deputy Ivo Banac and Sime Lucin from the Social Democrats maintained that same-sex couples are discriminated against in Croatia.
“Do not be intolerant towards citizens that have not chosen their sexual orientation, they are our brothers and sisters”, said independent deputy Ivo Banac.
Despite the existing domestic partner law gays and lesbians find they have not rights to their homes when a partner dies if that partner was the only name on a lease. Partners cannot apply for loans together or open joint bank accounts. In many instances people are denied access to the hospital rooms of dying partners. Yet, under Croatia’s constitution it is illegal to discriminate against gays.
Croatian LGBT associations will continue to struggle for the Partnership Law, which they believe will be adopted sooner or later.
For the first time a bill on Registered Partnership, which would expand on the limited domestic partner law and allow same-sex couples to officially register their unions, where discussed in Sabor, the Croatian parliament. The bill was opposed by the ruling conservative party and other parties on the right of the centre.
The bill was filed by independent deputy Ivo Banac and Sime Lucin from the Social Democratic Party, the main opposition party. They proposed that gay couples should be granted the right to register their partnerships, although not officially marry. Besides making it possible for same-sex couples to officially register their unions they would be given the same health, social security, tax, pension, and inheritance rights as heterosexual couples.
The bill was strongly supported by the Social Democratic Party of Croatia and, after the right to adopt a child had been excluded from the proposed bill, also the Croatian People’s Party. The bill was opposed by the ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Party, Croatian Party of Rights, Croatian Peasants’ Party and the Istrian Democratic Assembly.
During the debate in parliament members of the Croatian Democratic Union and other right of the centre parties made homophobic statements and said they would vote together making it impossible for the bill to win the necessary 76 votes in the 151-seat chamber.
“The whole universe is heterosexual, from an atom to a fly and an elephant”, declared Lucija Cikes, a member of the Croatian Democratic Union.
Her statement was strongly criticised in media the day after the debate in Sabor.
“Croats are Catholics and, as such, against homosexual couples,” said Karmela Caparin, another ruling party deputy.
Her generalising statement was opposed by members of the Social Democratic Party.
Independent deputy Ivo Banac and Sime Lucin from the Social Democrats maintained that same-sex couples are discriminated against in Croatia.
“Do not be intolerant towards citizens that have not chosen their sexual orientation, they are our brothers and sisters”, said independent deputy Ivo Banac.
Despite the existing domestic partner law gays and lesbians find they have not rights to their homes when a partner dies if that partner was the only name on a lease. Partners cannot apply for loans together or open joint bank accounts. In many instances people are denied access to the hospital rooms of dying partners. Yet, under Croatia’s constitution it is illegal to discriminate against gays.
Croatian LGBT associations will continue to struggle for the Partnership Law, which they believe will be adopted sooner or later.
