The Parliament of Montenegro voted on Wednesday for the legalization of the registered same-sex partnership. Montenegro is the first European country outside Western Europe and the European Union where gay and lesbian couples can form a couple on paper.
42 of the 81 parliamentarians voted in favor of the bill, which was killed in parliament a year ago. The opponents abstained on Wednesday.
With the new law, gay and lesbian couples in a registered partnership will have the same rights as heterosexual couples, with the exception of the possibility of adopting a child. The law comes into force within a year.
Although LGBTI couples with the registered partnership do not receive exactly the same rights, LGBT Forum Progress is pleased to receive the news. The Montenegrin interest group speaks of a “historic step forward in the fight for equal rights for LGBTI people in Montenegro”.
Prime Minister Dusko Markovic and President Milo Dukanovic also say they are very happy with the new law. According to them, it confirms that “European values” are present in Montenegro. The Balkans are keen to become a member of the European Union and have been negotiating about it for years.
The government previously announced an action plan for the period 2019-2023 to improve the position of LGBTI people in the country. It proposes, among other things, that officers and health workers follow anti-discrimination training. The plan sparked criticism from a conservative angle.