LGBTQ+ community and politicians salute Montenegro’s new law on same-sex partnerships · Global Voices
Montenegrin activists at the 2013 SeaSide Pride in Budva, holding signs reading “I'm like you,” “For marriage equality,” “Love is love,” and “I vote for love.” Photo by LGBTQ+ Forum Progres, CC BY-NC-SA.
Montenegro's parliament has adopted a law on life partnership for same-sex couples, making Montenegro the first country in the Western Balkans to legally recognize same-sex marriage.
The law passed on July 1 does not include provisions to allow same-sex couples to adopt children. In all other aspects, their rights are the same as for heterosexual couples, including property rights, inheritance, social and health security.
Non-governmental organizations LGBTI Forum Progres and the LGBTIQ Social Center, as well as their constituent communities, applauded the adoption of the law, congratulating all LGBTQ+ persons on the historic achievement:
Činjenica da je konačno usvojen Zakon o životnom partnerstvu ima neizrecivo velik značaj za sve LGBTI osobe u Crnoj Gori. Ovo je nesaglediv pomak naprijed za crnogorsko društvo, na naročitu radost cjelokupne LGBTI zajednice. Kao organizacija koja niz godina zagovara pravno prepoznavanje istopolnih zajednica i kao aktivni učesnici Radne grupe koja je kreirala ovaj <PERSON>, veoma smo srećni zbog ovakvog ishoda koji smo dugo čekali. 463
Sada ostaje ono ključno – primjena ovog zakona u praksi – što je sljedeći veliki korak u procesu zaštite ljudskih prava LGBTI osoba.
The fact that the Law on life partnership has finally been adopted has unspeakably enormous importance for all LGBTI persons in Montenegro. This is an immense advancement for Montenegrin society that has filled with joy the entire LGBTI community. As an organization which advocates for legal recognition of same-sex unions, and as active participants of the Working Group that created this bill, we are so happy with this long-awaited outcome. Now a key issue remains — implementation of this law in practice, which will be the next great step in the process of protection of human rights of LGBTI persons.
Montenegro has come a long way in the fight against homophobia over the years.
In 2013 the First Pride was subject to physical violence, incitement to killings and other verbal abuse from about 200 counter-protesters.
In 2015 the Montenegrin authorities banned the Pride March deeming it “too risky”, with police claiming it could not protect the marchers from threats of violence by homophobic groups.
More recently, the Pride Marches in 2017 passed without incident, while the one in 2018 featured high-ranking political figures.
Last year the parliament failed to pass the bill on same-sex partnerships due to the lack of a quorum.
President <PERSON>, who has held top executive positions in the Montenegrin government since 1991, saluted the development, portraying it as proof that the country is moving in the direction of the “most developed democracies in the world.”
<PERSON> ?? ka društvu najrazvijenih demokratija svijeta!
<PERSON> o životnom partnerstvu osoba istog pola, ?? po prvi put pravno uređuje istopolne zajednice! #LGBT@UNHumanRights@EURightsAgency@ILGAEurope
— <PERSON> (@predsjednik_cg) July 1, 2020
One more step of Montenegro towards the company of the most developed democracies in the world! By adopting the Law on life partnership of persons of the same sex, Montenegro is legally regulating same sex communities for the first time!
Prime Minister <PERSON> also welcomed the adoption of the law.
<PERSON> veliki iskorak u pravom smjeru za crnogorsko društvo, njegovu demokratsku zrelost i proces integracije. 168