On Thursday, the 20th of April, Latvia’s Saeima passed in the final reading amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Children’s Rights. Following the proposal from National Alliance member Aleksandrs Kiršteins, amendments state that foreigner couples who adopt children in Latvia are required to be married in accordance with Latvia’s Constitution [be a man and a woman].
Amendments were passed not just in relation to child adoption to foreign countries, but also in relation to having a family-like environment in accordance with the definition of marriage as listed in the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia. The law states foreigners are allowed to adopt children in Latvia if the orphan court that decided on out of family care receives a notification from the Foreign Adoption Committee, which states that adopting parents are married in accordance with Section 110 of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia and that the adoption procedure to a foreign country corresponds with child rights protection principles and the child’s best interests.
It is also decided to define a family environment as a set of circumstances and prerequisites when a child lives in his or her biological family, or, if this is not possible, in a guardian’s family, foster family or adoptive family that corresponds with the definitions listed in Section 110 of the Constitution of Latvia and Section 35 of the Civil Law.
Section 110 of Latvia’s Constitution makes it clear the “State shall protect and support marriage – a union between a man and a woman, the family, the rights of parents and rights of the child. The State shall provide special support to disabled children, children left without parental care or who have suffered from violence”.
And Section 35 of the Civil Law states that “marriage is prohibited between kin in a direct line, brothers and sisters, and half-brothers and half-sisters. Marriage between persons of the same sex is prohibited”.
Progressive Party wrote on Twitter that the majority of the Saeima has just supported “a clearly homophobic” suggestion from Kiršteins and that
“unfortunately, the 14th Saeima continues pushing Latvia in the direction of orbanism”.
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