We are publishing the integral version of the public letter sent to all international relevant organisations and individuals, pointing out why their reaction is important for us towards the homophobic constitutional changes. Also this text went along with the petition for stopping these homophobic constitutional changes that can be signed here:https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Government_of_Republic_of_Macedonia_Prime_minister_Nikola_Gruevski_Stop_homophobic_constitutional_changes/?fbss.
Information on current constitutional changes in the Republic of Macedonia
To Whom It May Concern,
The Government of the Republic of Macedonia has proposed changes to the Constitution including Amendment 33 which defines marriage and civil unions, but also any other form of registered life partnership, exclusively as a union between one man and one woman. Below is the full text of Amendment 33:
AMENDMENT XXXIII
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Marriage shall be a life union solely of one woman and one man.
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A civil union, or any other registered form of life partnership, shall be a life union solely between one woman and one man.
- Republic of Macedonia, and with item 2 a new paragraph 3 shall be added to Article 40 of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia.
On 07/16/2014, the proposed constitutional amendments that provide for a ‘clearer definition’ of marriage as a union between one man and one woman entered into Parliamentary debate along with the other proposed constitutional amendments. These amendments, however, contained only the definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The definition of civil union as a union between one man and one woman was not included in the proposal but was nonetheless included in the draft amendments, which was a flagrant violation of the procedure for constitutional changes and an audacious abuse of the decision of the Assembly to proceed with the originally proposed constitutional amendments.
Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski underlines that these constitutional amendments are aimed at clarifying and improving the quality of the legal text, thus enhancing independence and the appropriate functioning of the system. Constitutional protection and a clear definition of marriage would provide further protection of children and promotion of their upbringing in an environment where the parents, that is, the father and the mother, as well as single parents, are the pillars of the family, Gruevski stated in his elaboration on the reasons for constitutional amendments regarding the definition of marriage.
The need of amending the Constitution was established at the parliamentary session of July 16, 2014,when 82 MPs voted in favor, 6 against, and 1 abstained.
On 08/27/2014, the seven draft amendments were passed in Parliament with 65 votes in favor, 2 against, and 1 abstention. Among these amendments was the contentious Amendment 33 that despite marriage and civil unions, defines any other form of registered life partnership exclusively as a union between one man and one woman.
The Government of the Republic of Macedonia is the proponent of the constitutional amendments. The procedure for their adoption is expected to be completed within 3.5 months, i.e. by the end of October 2014.
We are writing you to express our concerns regarding the draft constitutional amendments in Macedonia which include the definition of marriage and civil unions exclusively as unions between one man and one woman. We are deeply concerned about LGBTI rights in Macedonia for there are numerous instances of human rights violations and absence of effective protection and persecution by the state authorities. Therefore we believe that this change will only enhance discrimination, violence, and hate speech toward the LGBTI community. The exclusive constitutional definition of marriage, civil unions, and any other form of registered partnership is discriminatory toward LGBTI people by restricting their right to family life and all the civil and social rights arising from it.
With this letter, the National Network against Homophobia and Transphobia of Macedonia calls on the international community and asks for public reactions that would prevent the constitutional definition of marriage and civil unions exclusively as unions between one woman and one man.
We would be ineffably grateful if our international friends and democratic and human rights advocates make a public address demanding from the Macedonian Government and all MPs to not support Amendment 33 of the constitutional changes.
