First Slovenian gay partnership branded ‘awful’ - from Pink News - all the latest gay news from the gay community

First Slovenian gay partnership branded 'awful'

By James Phillips • October 6, 2006 - 1:00

“It looked more like a car registration, not a wedding ceremony,“ Blazic told Serbia's FoNet news agency,.

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A gay couple this Friday became the first to enter into a civil partnership within the Balkan country of Slovenia.

Unfortunately for Mitja Blazic and Niki Kern the partnership hasn't got off to a great start after the couple branded the ceremony "humiliating" and "awful".

The accusation is in response to the Slovenian clause in the civil partnership law which prohibits couples from having friends and family present. Only the couple and the registrant can be present.

In July Slovenia's Parliament passed legislation allowing same-sex ceremonies.

The law allows gay and lesbian couples to register their unions and give partners access to each others' pensions and property.

Mr Blazic and Mr Kern signed their vows at a municipal registration office in a state building, yet emerged to tell waiting reporters that the ceremony was cold and without feeling.

"It looked more like a car registration, not a wedding ceremony," Blazic told Serbia's FoNet news agency,.

The 'no guest' clause has attracted wide criticism for being discriminatory when compared to heterosexual marriages.

The less than perfect law makes Slovenia the second former Soviet satellite state to establish civil unions. The Czech Republic's civil partnership law went into effect in July.

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