Politics
Friday June 16, 2006
Latvia Defies EU, Again: No “Sexual-Orientation” Language in Employment Discrimination Laws
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
By John Jalsevac
LATVIA, June 16, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The small country of Latvia has once again caused consternation in the EU by refusing to bow to the Union’s demands that Latvia introduce legislation extending special rights to homosexuals.
This time around the Latvian parliament voted against legislation adding “sexual orientation” to anti-discrimination laws, reports BBC News. It is unclear what this might bode for the nation’s future in the EU. Latvia joined the Union in 2004 under the condition that it introduce the legislation that was just voted down by Latvian MPs.
According to BBC, members of Latvia’s Christian Democratic Party called homosexuality a “sin” during the heated debates surrounding the proposed legislation.
Latvia is the only country in the EU that does not have in place anti-discrimination legislation that includes references to “sexual orientation.”
This is not the first time that Latvia has bucked the norm and refused to follow the EU’s pro-homosexual policies. In December of 2005 Latvia passed a constitutional amendment protecting the traditional definition of marriage, thereby protecting Latvia’s family-friendly law code from being tampered with by activist judges, as has happened elsewhere in the world, including Canada and the United States. That constitutional amendment was passed with the overwhelming majority of 73 out of 100 members of parliament.
Members of the EU parliament have stated that Latvia will be brought into accordance with EU policies. Sophie in’t Veld, MEP from the Dutch party, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, said after the amendment was passed that “The European Parliament has to raise its voice against the right-wing and homophobic elements in European politics who would like to re-impose their backward and homophobic values on the rest of society.”
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Homosexual Activists in EU Parliament Vow to Oppose Latvian Pro-Family Measure
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/dec/05120702.html
Latvian Parliament Overwhelmingly Supports Constitutional Protection for Traditional Marriage
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/dec/05120204.html
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- BREAKING: US Congress Passes Health Care Reform Bill 220 to 215
- Stupak Amendment to Health Care Bill Passes 240 - 194 Saturday Evening
- Major Health Care Development - Pro-Life Stupak Amendment Vote OK'd for Today
- NY Times: Dems Banking on Later Squeezing Pro-Life Language Out of Bill in Committee
- USCCB Spokesman: "Definitely Not True" that Bishops Support Bill As it Stands
- TIME Got it Wrong - Prof. George Opposed Grandiose Kennedy Funeral
- USCCB Condemnation Tears Facade off "Phony" Abortion Compromise for Health Bill
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholic Left
- Dirty Fighting on Abortion Funding: Word-Games and Health-Care Theatrics Boggle the Mind
- Commentary on November 6 News
- Note to LifeSiteNews Subscribers with Rogers email addresses
- New York Gov. Declares Nov. 10 Extraordinary Legislative Session for Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Washington's Pro-Family Amendment Effort Defeated - R-71 Almost Certain to Pass
- Vote Pushed Back on Canadian Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Bill to Dec. 2
- Elderly U.K. Couple in Good Health Commit Suicide, Complain of Assisted Suicide Law
- Texas Late-Term Abortionist and Baptist Minister Admits: "Am I killing? Yes, I am"
- New Evidence Contradicts CCHD's Findings on Accused Pro-Abortion Partner
- Quebec Priest Denies Possibility of Sexual Reorientation Therapy on TV
- New Hampshire Same-Sex "Marriage" Law in Crosshairs after Maine's Law Crumbles
- Brooklyn Bishop Criticized for Recorded Message Praising Pro-Abortion Politician
- First Group of "Traditionalist" Anglicans in Britain Votes to Enter Catholic Church
Most Read this Week
- Planned Parenthood Director Resigns after Watching Ultrasound of Abortion Procedure
- Nun Defiant Following Rebuke, but Stops Abortion Escorting
- Breaking: Dominican Community Apologizes for Nun Caught Acting as Abortion Escort
- Over 200 Christendom College Students Protest Abortion at Planned Parenthood Clinic
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholics Left
- Scottish Gay Rights Activists Found Guilty of Pedophilia Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
- Newly Identified Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- Major Health Care Bill Development - Stupak Hyde Amendment Vote OK'd
- Canadian MP Launches Petition to Stop Federal Funding of Planned Parenthood
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.