Press release of the Gay and Lesbian League:

On 15th March, the Chamber of Deputies (the Lower Chamber of the Czech Parliament) outvoted the presidential veto and enacted the Registered partnership Bill.

After Slovenia, which adopted a same-sex partnership law in June last year, Czech Republic becomes thus the second post-communist country to have such a law. “It was very dramatic,” comments Tereza Kodickova, spokeswoman of the Gay and Lesbian League [1] and adds: “This commendable decision will strengthen the stability of families of lesbians and gays.”

“Our first and biggest thanks go to the Act’s sponsors. More precisely, to those who supported the Bill until the very end. Theirs is the main credit for this success and they have done a great job,” says Martin Strachon, spokesman of the Gay and Lesbian League. “I would like to refrain from speculations as to which party is going to try and draw political credit from the Parliament‘s decision. The crucial point are the Act‘s benefits for those it has been written and presented for.“

The Gay and Lesbian League will now strive to inform the public, namely the Act’s potential users, of its content, i.e. all rights and obligations stemming therefrom. The League will also monitor the Act’s implementation in practice and will endeavour to rectify any potential problematic situations or faults. In the nearest future, Gay and Lesbian League does not intend to strive for the legalisation of the adoption of children - non-biological descendants of any of the partners.

Note:
[1] For the sake of plurality of opinions, the Gay and Lesbian League has four spokespeople. In order to apply the gender equality principle, two of them are always women and two are men.