Lithuanian politicians react to Estonia’s same-sex partnership law: One area we do not wish to be Baltic leaders

Of all the leaders of Lithuania’s main political parties, only the liberal leader told BNS his party was in favour of such partnerships. Others said they were against such initiatives or refused to consider the issue at all, calling it a non-priority.

“I do believe it’s a non-priority issue in Lithuania. There are many really important issues awaiting parliament’s consideration and we must deal with them first,” Speaker of the Seimas and Labour Party leader Loreta Graužinienė said.

“We need to hold discussions in parliament and with the public. Laws cannot be adopted without considering a specific country’s traditions, customs and public views. But we should discuss such issues calmly, rationally, the way the Estonians do, and not through contraposition,” Social Democrat Gediminas Kirkilas said.

“We believe that a law on partnerships between people of different sex is a normal issue worth discussing. But if we speak about the legalization of same-sex partnerships, my opinion is that such a law is unnecessary and I would not vote for it,” Valentinas Mazuronis, vice-chairman of the Order and Justice party, told BNS.

“There are areas where we don’t want to overtake and surpass the Estonians. There are areas where we have overtaken and surpassed them, for example, economic growth. But in this case, I think, we don’t want to overtake and surpass them,” leader of the conservative Homeland Union Andrius Kubilius told BNS.

“Our party supports traditional Christian values and a family is between a man and woman, there’s no doubt about that. Every person has the right to live the way they want to, but it must not affect others and change values,” Jaroslav Narkevič, a Seimas vice-speaker representing the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania, said.

“There are people around the world who are of the same sex and are building their life together, and Lithuania is not an exception. It seems to me that partnerships must be legalized in Lithuania sooner or later. The Estonians have made the decision. They manage to make many decisions without any major stereotypes, clichés and emotions,” chairman of the Liberal Movement Eligijus Masiulis told BNS.