On Tuesday, the 7th of November, the Saeima’s Legal Affairs Committee decided to submit for the final reading the legislative draft prepared by the Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere on the adoption of a new law institute for couples’ relationships – partnership.
Amendments to the Notariate Law stipulate the establishment and termination of partnership at the notary’s. Partnership may be established by two adult people that share a personal relationships and there are no restrictions for its establishment, such as, blood relation.
The parliament may view this legislative draft on the 9th of November.
National Alliance member Jānis Grasbergs submitted several proposals to the committee for review, including replacing the word “partnership” with “household”.
The majority of the committee’s members rejected those proposals. However, one proposal was taken into account, and it is the proposal to expand the law with the sentence that
“partnership is not equal to marriage”.
The head of the committee Andrejs Judins stressed that from a legal point of view it is wrong to try and list everything what the term is not or what it provides. At the same time, he said he understands why his colleagues want to point out certain risks. Grasbergs confirmed as much, explaining that using this point he wants to “draw red lines”. According to him, there are justified concerns about the term “partnership” potentially becoming close to the term “marriage” over time.
Combined List political party member Edgars Tavars voiced his concerns as well. Referencing Lībiņa-Egnere’s public statement that amendments to the Notariate Law are “the bare minimum”, Tavars asked a rhetorical question:
so what is optimal or the maximum then?
According to Tavars, partnership opens the potential for same-sex marriage and child adoption.
Ministry of Justice parliamentary secretary Lauma Paegļkalna told Saeima deputies that amendments to the Notariate Law govern the relations of two people with the state, and the Civil Law governs relations of two persons is not covered in this package. “Partnership cannot become marriage, because this is not provided by the Civil Law,” stressed Paegļkalna.
Also read: Latvian Saeima conceptually supports legislative draft on adoption partnership institute
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