Malta legalises gay civil unions, adoption

(MENAFN - AFP) Malta's parliament passed a law Monday legalising same-sex civil partnerships and giving gay couples the right to adopt.

The Mediterranean island country's parliament passed the bill by a vote of 37-0.

The opposition abstained because it opposes gay adoption but not gay unions, said its leader Simon Busuttil.

Thousands of supporters cheered the law's passage on the central square in the capital Valletta.

Catholicism is the state religion in Malta, the European Union's smallest member state.

According to the International Lesbian and Gay Association, which welcomed the new law, Malta is the 22nd European country to recognise same-sex unions and the 10th to allow such couples to adopt.

NELFA WELCOMES MALTA TO THE GROUP OF NATIONS VOTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY

The Network of European LGBT Families Associations (NELFA) congratulates the Maltese Parliament for its recent vote granting legal recognition to same-sex civil unions and allowing same-sex couples to apply for adoption jointly. The new civil union law provides same-sex couples with almost the same rights and protections as married different-sex couples.

Maria von Känel, NELFA's President, said: "With this vote the Maltese Parliament brought Malta into the group of countries that are on the right side of history. This is an historic moment for Malta, a country that until recently was not 'famous' for ensuring legal equality for its LGBT citizens. Malta should serve as an example for other European countries. We are very happy for all Maltese rainbow families and their children."

Lisa Green, NELFA's Vice-President, added: "This is a huge step in the right direction for Malta. We look forward to a day in the not-so-distant future when all unions between two persons in Malta will have exactly the same rights and protections afforded by the law."

About NELFA:

NELFA is the European platform of LGBT families associations, bringing together LGBT parents and parents-to-be from all over Europe. NELFA currently represents 22 organisations in 15 European countries with more than 10.000 members. NELFA is a member of ILGA-Europe.

For further contacts:

Maria von Känel – President

+41 79 611 06 71

Luís Amorim – Board Member/Treasurer

+32-473

76 50 70

To learn more about the situation of LGBT persons in Europe, check ILGA-Europe's rainbow map 2013: www.ilga-europe.org/home/publications/reports_and_other_materials/rainbow_europe

To learn more about NELFA: www.nelfa.org

NELFA 2014 European Family Meeting: www.nelfa.lsvd.de/conference-2014

International Family Equality Day (IFED): www.internationalfamilyequalityday.org