ZAGREB, Jan 23 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament continued its session on Wednesday with a discussion on a bill on family, marriage and common-law marriage. Under the bill, a common-law marriage could include persons of the same
sex.
ZAGREB, Jan 23 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament continued its
session on Wednesday with a discussion on a bill on family, marriage
and common-law marriage. Under the bill, a common-law marriage
could include persons of the same sex. #L#
Labour and Social Welfare Minister Davorko Vidovic explained that
the common-law marriage, be it between persons of the opposite or
same sex, would not be equated with marriage, because the draft
provisions referred only to regulating issues of support and
property relations.
According to the bill, persons under the age of 18 would not be able
to marry, except in special circumstances.
The law would also secure better protection of the rights of
children. Children could be taken away from parents and family
members who neglect them. The child would have the right to a
guardian. A court would decide on the child's rights instead of the
social welfare centres, as has been the case so far.
The bill proposes changes to regulations in adopting children.
Also, the bill reduces the time for determining maternity or
paternity and secures better protection of secrecy in the adoption
process.
Besides social welfare centres, other parties could act as
mediators in divorces.
Representatives of parliament committees on legislature and human
and minority rights agreed that rights in common-law and same-sex
marriages should be regulated by another act and not by the law on
family and marriage.
(hina) lml