Post by Bonobo on Jan 26, 2013 23:50:23 GMT 1
www.dailystar.com.lb/News/International/2013/Jan-25/203724-polish-parliament-rejects-efforts-to-legalise-gay-.ashx#axzz2J5kr8gNt
Actually, it isn`t only about gays, but about the legal status of all kinds of partnership which aren`t a marriage. However, gay issue indermined the whole discussion about partnerships because conservatives believe that after granting rights to civil unions today leftist and liberals will try to go further and debate adoption by homosexual couples.
The lower house of parliament rejected three bills that would have legalised civil unions, including narrowly defeating one proposed by a member of the ruling Civic Platform that would have given limited rights to unmarried partners, including ability to inherit property.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke out in favour of the reform, but 46 members of his own party, including Justice Minister Jaroslaw Gowin, sided with the conservative opposition and voted against all three bills on their first reading.
"You can't question the existence of such people (living in homosexual partnerships) and you can't argue against the people who decide to live in such way," Tusk told the parliament before the votes.
Robert Biedron, Poland's first openly gay deputy who had proposed the most comprehensive of the three rejected bills, vowed to continue leading the efforts to give legal rights to unmarried partners, both same-sex and heterosexual."Changes are coming," Biedron told Reuters television. "More and more people see that maybe there is injustice in treating people that live in unregistered partnerships and who cannot solve their fundamental problems, everyday problems."
Many Polish opponents of state recognition for same-sex partnerships say it is wrong to encourage unions that cannot produce children, and so do nothing to fix the country's declining population."Are sexual ties the only reason why society should finance a barren existence?" said Krystyna Pawlowicz of the opposition Law and Justice party, "Society cannot finance structures and institutions, which do not allow for society to last."
www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/125237,Parliament-throws-out-draft-laws-on-civil-partnerships
Before the voting began, Justice Minister Jaroslaw Gowin declared that the draft bills contradicted the Polish Constitution, citing Article 18, which holds that “marriage as a union between man and woman” is protected by the state.
However, Prime Minister Tusk retorted that Gowin's interpretation of the constitution was “the minister's personal opinion, ” as cited by the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
So, in short, Gowin is a conservative member of the ruling party supported by 45 others. It is a substantial force and Tusk cannot ignore them.
However, he can`t do much because if he tries to remove Gowin from officem the latter will propbably leave PO and set up a new formation. That would probably mean the end of this government and new early elections.
Actually, it isn`t only about gays, but about the legal status of all kinds of partnership which aren`t a marriage. However, gay issue indermined the whole discussion about partnerships because conservatives believe that after granting rights to civil unions today leftist and liberals will try to go further and debate adoption by homosexual couples.
The lower house of parliament rejected three bills that would have legalised civil unions, including narrowly defeating one proposed by a member of the ruling Civic Platform that would have given limited rights to unmarried partners, including ability to inherit property.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke out in favour of the reform, but 46 members of his own party, including Justice Minister Jaroslaw Gowin, sided with the conservative opposition and voted against all three bills on their first reading.
"You can't question the existence of such people (living in homosexual partnerships) and you can't argue against the people who decide to live in such way," Tusk told the parliament before the votes.
Robert Biedron, Poland's first openly gay deputy who had proposed the most comprehensive of the three rejected bills, vowed to continue leading the efforts to give legal rights to unmarried partners, both same-sex and heterosexual."Changes are coming," Biedron told Reuters television. "More and more people see that maybe there is injustice in treating people that live in unregistered partnerships and who cannot solve their fundamental problems, everyday problems."
Many Polish opponents of state recognition for same-sex partnerships say it is wrong to encourage unions that cannot produce children, and so do nothing to fix the country's declining population."Are sexual ties the only reason why society should finance a barren existence?" said Krystyna Pawlowicz of the opposition Law and Justice party, "Society cannot finance structures and institutions, which do not allow for society to last."
www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/125237,Parliament-throws-out-draft-laws-on-civil-partnerships
Before the voting began, Justice Minister Jaroslaw Gowin declared that the draft bills contradicted the Polish Constitution, citing Article 18, which holds that “marriage as a union between man and woman” is protected by the state.
However, Prime Minister Tusk retorted that Gowin's interpretation of the constitution was “the minister's personal opinion, ” as cited by the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
So, in short, Gowin is a conservative member of the ruling party supported by 45 others. It is a substantial force and Tusk cannot ignore them.
However, he can`t do much because if he tries to remove Gowin from officem the latter will propbably leave PO and set up a new formation. That would probably mean the end of this government and new early elections.