Slovakia angers homosexualists over proposed marriage protection amendment
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| English: Map of the administrative subdivisions of the Slovak Republic (1939-45) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, February 28, 2014– The former Soviet Bloc state of Slovakia has angered homosexualist campaigners by considering an amendment to the constitution that would define marriage as being between one man and one woman. The ruling Social Democratic Party (SMER), including some government ministers, have indicated that there is enough support in Parliament to make the change.
The proposed amendment, submitted by the opposition Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) February 24, is two sentences: “Marriage is a unique bond between one man and one woman. The Slovak Republic protects marriage universally and contributes towards its well-being.”
If passed, the amendment would make it impossible for homosexualist activists in Parliament to pass “gay marriage” legislation. It is set to become one of the lead issues of the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for March 15.
Constitutional changes require at least 90 votes out of the 150-seat Parliament. By backing the amendment, the ruling socialist party, SMER, is breaking from its pan-European socialist umbrella group, the Party of European Socialists group in the European Parliament.
The party’s leader, Prime Minister Robert Fico, said, “SMER is willing to support the amendment in exchange for the opposition’s support for an amendment introducing changes in the judicial system.” Fico told reporters in Bratislava, “The marriage amendment will not bring about any drastic changes, it only seals in the constitution what is already defined by law.” SMER controls 80 of the necessary 90 votes.
ILGA Europe, the EU-funded homosexualist activist umbrella group, has issued a demand that the Slovak government drop the proposals and adopt instead the movement’s gender ideology. EU member states that fail to promote and support the homosexual movement have met with strong opposition from the EU where it is fully integrated into the human rights agendas. Recently, the movement has scored a major triumph with the adoption of the Lunacek Report, which formally dedicates all member states to promote the movement’s goals.
Gabi Calleja, a spokesman for ILGA Europe, said, “We are very concerned to see Slovakia follow in this negative direction. Such amendments are discriminatory.”
“Clearly they are not motivated by genuine care about families, but rather aimed to prevent recognition of rights and protection of same-sex partnerships in the near future.”
Calleja issued a veiled threat that Slovakia would be facing trouble from the EU if it decides to reject “gay marriage,” saying, “While Europe at large is moving towards increasing legal recognition and social acceptance of LGBTI families, Slovakia seems to be leaning towards the opposite trend of limitations, restrictions and discrimination.”
ILGA Europe has regularly derided the use of referenda and other “populist” democratic tools to halt the movement’s advance. Paulo Côrte-Real reiterated this, warning Slovakia not to follow the lead of other Eastern and Central European countries like Latvia, Hungary and Croatia where the agenda has been successfully opposed by “religious extremists and ultra-conservatives who do not hesitate to abuse such democratic tools as constitutional amendments or referenda to pursue their narrow homophobic agenda.”
“Slovak parliamentarians must prevent yet another country falling into such a populist homophobic trap and reject this proposal,” he added.
The life and family movement, pushing back against abortion and euthanasia advocacy, has made strides in Slovakia, with their first ever March for Life drawing unexpectedly huge crowds. The Christian Democratic Movement first announced their intention to propose the amendment immediately following the March for Life in September, after more than 70,000 turned out.
A poll commissioned by Christian Democratic Movement ahead of the proposal found that the great majority of Slovakians would support it. 50.8 and 28 percent of those polled said they would agree with amending the Constitution to define marriage and over 30 percent “somewhat” agreed. Only 9 percent and 4.4 percent, respectively, “somewhat disagree” or “absolutely disagree,” and only five percent were undecided.
