Greek Orthodox church slams rights for unmarried couples

By Susan Phu • March 19, 2008 - 15:24

The Chruch's governing synod described moves by the Greek government to afford unmarried or defacto couples the same legal rights as their married counterparts as a “catastrophic bomb“.

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The Greek Othordox Church has spoken out against proposals to allow unmarried heretosexual couples in the country to have their relationships registered.

The BBC reports that the Chruch's governing synod described moves by the Greek government to afford unmarried or defacto couples the same legal rights as their married counterparts as a "catastrophic bomb" which threatened Greek society and compared the move to "prostitution."

The Greek government is hoping new legislation will align with similar laws throughout Europe.

However, this proposed bill has to date only included heterosexual unmarried couples.

Gay rights group Olke plans to actively lobby the Greek government and have slammed what they perceive as an unlawful draft bill, to legally recognise heterosexual unions only.

Greek government policy is still steadfastly anti-gay.

Gay marriage has long been opposed and gays are still barred from entering the military.

However, homosexuals in Greece are still seeking a greater voice within their country in recent years, which culminated in the first Gay Pride parade in 2005.

A Greek lesbian couple in Athens are due to attempt to marry in a civil ceremony in the country's first same-sex marriage.

The law does not explicitly proclaim a civil union must take place between a man and a woman, the couple are hoping to take advantage.

The ceremony is set to take place in the Kessariani quarter of Athens and will be officiated by the town's mayor, Spyros Tzokas - a man whose party, Syriza, is radically left-wing.

Mr Tzokas spoke out as having no objections to the union as long as the marriage respected the law.

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