The National Assembly rejects for the third time to debate the Law on Same-Sex Unions

At the Second Regular Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, MP Jelena Jerinić of the Green-Left Front, for the third time since last year, submitted a proposal to amend the session agenda to include a debate on the Law on Same-Sex Unions.

Once again, the National Assembly refused to even consider this proposal. Out of 171 members of parliament present, 29 voted in favor, while 142 did not vote.

For the third consecutive time, the ruling majority has refused to allow a debate on this law, while at the same time declaratively invoking European values and alignment with European Union standards. Such conduct clearly demonstrates a gap between publicly proclaimed goals and concrete political decisions, as issues of equality and the protection of human rights are among the fundamental values on which the European Union is founded.

This outcome confirms a continued lack of willingness to open an institutional debate on the rights of LGBTI+ persons in Serbia. By refusing to even place the issue on the agenda, LGBTI+ citizens continue to be excluded from the legal system and left without basic protection.

We remind that the Law on Same-Sex Unions is intended to regulate essential life matters for same-sex couples, including property rights, inheritance, the right to information about a partner’s health condition, and other issues relevant to the everyday lives of same-sex couples.

Opening this issue in the National Assembly is a minimum requirement of the democratic process and a precondition for any progress in the field of human rights of LGBT+ persons.