Kosovo Assembly fails to adopt the new Civil Code allowing same-sex civil unions

English

Gazeta Express

16/03/2022 19:37

Kosovo Assembly during its plenary session on Wednesday has failed to adopt the new Civil Code allowing among other things for registration of civil unions between persons of the same sex. Of 77 MPs present in the Assembly Hall, 16 boycotted the voting, and of 61 MPs who participated in the voting process, 29 were against, 28 in favor and four abstained, Gazeta Express reports.

The new Civil Code has been opposed by majority of MPs of both ruling and opposition parties, arguing that an article of the new Code paves the way for the same-sex marriages. The Constitution of Kosovo recognizes that everyone has the right to marry and the right to have a family as provided by law. However, the Civil Code as presented before MPs states that “registered civil unions between persons of the same sex are allowed,” but does not provide any mechanism for registering or recognizing those unions, stating only that “conditions and procedures are regulated by a special law.”

The Draft Civil Code as presented before MPs regulates modern legal concepts related to contractual obligations, property rights, family relations and inheritance rights. The Draft Civil Code among other things prohibits marriages under the age of 18 years as is recommended in EU countries. Women are entitled to equal and transparent procedures related to divorce and inheritance before notaries and courts. /GazetaExpress/