ZAGREB, Sept 7 (Hina) - Under the new family bill, which will be forwarded into government procedure, marriage is defined as a legally regulated union of woman and man.
ZAGREB, Sept 7 (Hina) - Under the new family bill, which will be
forwarded into government procedure, marriage is defined as a
legally regulated union of woman and man. #L#
This means that requests by gay associations that the bill provide
for same-sex marriages have not been met.
Under the bill, for a marriage to exist, persons entering it must be
of different sexes and state their consent. Marriages considered
valid are civil and religious marriages.
Homosexuals can register a same-sex community and enjoy the right
to support and division of joint property, but they cannot marry,
exercise health and pension insurance rights through their
partners or adopt children.
Wishing to reduce the number of marriages among minors, which often
end in divorce, the sponsors of the new bill have established that
persons entering a marriage must be of 18 years of age.
Last year there were 259 cases of marriage between people aged under
18.
The list of mediators settling disputes between spouses is extended
from social centres to marriage and family counselling centres and
persons authorised to provide expert assistance.
Last year the process of mediation was initiated in as many as 5,481
cases and only 164 were successful.
The new bill increases the protection of children's rights in
parent-child relations and introduces significant changes with
regard to adoption.
The bill encourages the adoption of brothers and sisters in which
case it will be sufficient for the adoptive parent to meet adoption
conditions for one child.
Around 165 children are adopted annually in Croatia.
The proposed changes are to be discussed by the government and then
be confirmed in parliament.
The gay associations "Iskorak" and "Kontra" are satisfied with the
bill, but have warned that they will continue fighting for
equalising their rights with those of heterosexual persons.
"Iskorak" president Dorino Manzin believes the bill is a major step
forward for the Croatian society.
"At this moment we could even support the bill but we will insist on
the equalising of all rights," Manzin told Hina.
The two associations request the redefinition of marriage, that is,
its being redefined to include persons of the same sex with
accompanying rights, or to recognise the institute of same-sex
partnership, with all rights except for the right to adopt
children.
(hina) rml