Politics
Friday June 16, 2006
See today's LifeSiteNews stories
Latvia Defies EU, Again: No “Sexual-Orientation” Language in Employment Discrimination Laws
By John Jalsevac
LATVIA, June 16, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The small country of Latvia has once again caused consternation in the EU by refusing to bow to the Union’s demands that Latvia introduce legislation extending special rights to homosexuals.
This time around the Latvian parliament voted against legislation adding “sexual orientation” to anti-discrimination laws, reports BBC News. It is unclear what this might bode for the nation’s future in the EU. Latvia joined the Union in 2004 under the condition that it introduce the legislation that was just voted down by Latvian MPs.
According to BBC, members of Latvia’s Christian Democratic Party called homosexuality a “sin” during the heated debates surrounding the proposed legislation.
Latvia is the only country in the EU that does not have in place anti-discrimination legislation that includes references to “sexual orientation.”
This is not the first time that Latvia has bucked the norm and refused to follow the EU’s pro-homosexual policies. In December of 2005 Latvia passed a constitutional amendment protecting the traditional definition of marriage, thereby protecting Latvia’s family-friendly law code from being tampered with by activist judges, as has happened elsewhere in the world, including Canada and the United States. That constitutional amendment was passed with the overwhelming majority of 73 out of 100 members of parliament.
Members of the EU parliament have stated that Latvia will be brought into accordance with EU policies. Sophie in’t Veld, MEP from the Dutch party, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, said after the amendment was passed that “The European Parliament has to raise its voice against the right-wing and homophobic elements in European politics who would like to re-impose their backward and homophobic values on the rest of society.”
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Homosexual Activists in EU Parliament Vow to Oppose Latvian Pro-Family Measure
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/dec/05120702.html
Latvian Parliament Overwhelmingly Supports Constitutional Protection for Traditional Marriage
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/dec/05120204.html
Back to TopSHARE THIS STORY: E-mail Print Newsvine Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook
Latest Headlines
- Over 100 MPs Oppose Morgentaler Order of Canada - List Released Today
- National Right to Life calls GOP Platform "Strongest Ever" on Life Issues
- Exclusive: Prominent Rabbi Says Lieberman was Excommunicated and it is Still in Effect
- Comments on August 28 LifeSiteNews
- McCain Himself Accuses Obama of Courting Infanticide
- Two More Bishops Make 8 Who Have Come Out against Pelosi's 'Catholic' Abortion Theology
- VP Hopeful Biden about Pro-Abortion Stance: "My Views are Totally Consistent with Catholic Social Doctrine..."
- Protests and Official Mourning Declared following Mexican Pro-Abortion Ruling
- Pure Utilitarianism: Doctors Justifying Killing Infant Patients for Organ Donation
- Philippines Court Rejects Claims of New York Based Pro-Abortion Group
- MPs Affirm Continued Support for C-484 - Unborn Victims of Crime Bill
- Brazilian Supreme Court Hears Testimony on Eugenic Abortions
- Cells Transformed into Insulin Producers in Research that Makes Embryonic Research "Irrelevant"
- Priests for Life Nine Week Novena Prayer for Election Begins September 1st
Most Read this Week
- Biden's Bishop Will not Permit Him, Even if Elected VP, to Speak at Catholic Schools
- "Catholic" Speaker Pelosi Denies that Catholicism Condemns Abortion
- Cardinals, Bishops and Congressmen Slam Pelosi on Abortion
- Talk a Woman out of Abortion in the UK? Two Years Jail
- Mainstream Media Admits Anti-Family Bias: NBC to 'Gay' Activists: 'Your Victories Are Our Victories'
- Pelosi Spokeswoman About-face: Catholic Church "Clear" on Life Teaching After All - But Catholics Need Not Listen
- American Apparel Defends "Pornographic" Billboards
- New York Cardinal - Pelosi Not Worthy of "Providing Leadership in a Civilized Democracy"
- Conservative Party of Canada Kills Unborn Victims of Crime Act with Gutless Alternative
- Pro-Life Billboard Vandalized with "Joker" Face Paint and Slogan: "Why So Serious?"
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.