Failure to adopt the Law on the Life Partnership of Persons of the Same-Sex defeated the democratic process in Montenegro and the overall European path was evaluated by the non-governmental organizations LGBT Forum Progress and LGBTIQ Social Center.
The Parliament of Montenegro did not adopt the Law on life partnership of persons of the same sex, because there was no majority in the Parliament. 38 DPS, SD and Liberal Party MPs voted in favor, while minority MPs Ervin Ibrahimovic (BS), Nedzad Dresevic (BS), Adrian Vuksanovic (HGI) and Genci Nimanbegu (Forca) voted against.
NGO Queer Montenegro thanked the MPs who supported the law.
"Thank you also to those who put their personal and political petty interests ahead of the basic human rights of citizens of Montenegro and manipulated our basic human rights. History will remember you in that way. A big thank you to everyone who was against this law. Your resistance strengthens us. Your hatred will never discourage us, slow us down or stop us. We will never lower our heads in front of your hatred. Let's move on," said NGO Queer.
They also said that "the law should be adopted".
"By unsuccessful adoption of this law, the Assembly sent a clear message that the representatives of the Legislature are only nominally cherishing the European and Euro-Atlantic values, but that this is not their real and essential commitment," the NGO LGBT Forum Progress and LGBTIQ Social Center said in the statement.
They added that they were deeply disappointed with the "defeat of the Parliament of Montenegro and the great step backward that has been made today".
"I feel defeated. I hoped today that I would be able to stand before the LGBTIQ community and share the joy that this law was adopted. This outcome of the vote is not only a defeat for civil society, but also democracy and the democratic process in Montenegro. It is obvious that Montenegro is not ready to stand in the ranks of developed, democratic countries of Europe, and to prefer the path of discrimination and prejudice, which leads to hatred and intolerance," said Bojana Jokic from the LGBT Progress Forum. She points out that a clear message has been sent from the Assembly that there is no will and desire to become part of the European family of nations essentially. "We are deeply disappointed, and our human dignity has been devalued at the highest institutional level. Our community has also been devalued. Nevertheless, we will not give up the fight for our dignity, our future, and the well-being of our society. Finally, I want to thank all the deputies who have supported this law and sent a clear message that the LGBTIQ community is not alone in its fight for equality," said Jokic. John M. Barac, LGBTIQ Social Center, emphasized that a message was sent from the Assembly to the LGBTIQ community and the general public "that we are not equal citizens of this country, nor will we ever be."
"As a society, we will not be able to move forward until we are all substantially equal in the eyes of the law. Same-sex communities, which have not yet been recognize will retain the same status because we have been told that we are less valuable and undesirable in our own country. Today is a really sad day for all of us in the LGBTIQ community, but the fight continues, "Barac said.
Text by Vijesti online, on July 31st, 2019, read more at Vijesti
