Podgorica, Montenegro, July 2, 2020
A gay pride march in Podgorica in 2017. Photo: euronews.com
With a 42-5 vote in Parliament on Wednesday, Montenegro became the first European country outside Western Europe and the EU to legalize gay civil partnerships.
The new bill gives same-sex couples equal rights to traditional couples except for the right to adopt children, reports euronews.
The move was hailed by the nation’s top authorities and the LGBT community.
“By adopting the Law on Same Sex Life Partnership, Montenegro is for the first time regulating the legal rights of same-sex couples!” President Milo Đukanović tweeted.
“A confirmation that our society is maturing, accepting and living the differences. Born free and equal in dignity and rights!” reads a second tweet.
For his part, Prime Minister Duško Marković tweeted: “I welcome the adoption of the Law on Same Sex Life Partnership in Montenegro Parliament! A great step in the right direction for MNE society, its democratic maturity & integration processes. Equality & same rights for all are the cornerstone of human and European values. I want to thank the #LGBTIQ community for dialogue and contribution.”
“I honestly didn't think it would and I still can't come to my senses that this happened in Montenegro,” tweeted John Barac, executive director of LGBT Forum Progress.
The bill was initially rejected last August, facing staunch resistance from the influential Serbian Orthodox Church. Montenegrin authorities are now seeking to confiscate Serbian Church properties and are actively harassing and persecuting Orthodox hierarchs, clergy, monastics, and laymen throughout the country.
Montenegro’s top politicians are hoping that the passage of the law will help the county join the European Union.
“There can be no room for discrimination based on sexual orientation in a European #Montenegro,” the PM tweeted.
“Montenegro is one step closer to joining the most developed world democracies!” the President said.
The American embassy in Podgorica was illuminated in rainbow colors in honor of the vote, embassy representatives tweeted yesterday.
The Montenegrin vote came just as Russians were voting to constitutionally define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
