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
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/dec/05120702.html
Latvian Parliament Overwhelmingly Supports Constitutional Protection for Traditional Marriage
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/dec/05120204.html