“Please, let us be tolerant towards other people’s freedom of choice,” President tells nation

RIGA, December 21, 2005  –  The President of Latvia, Dr. Vaira Vike-Freiberga, has signed the constitutional amendment defining marriage as only between a man and a woman.

Latvia becomes the first country in Europe to have an anti-gay clause in its constitution.

The announcement came this afternoon shortly after a meeting between the President and the Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis of the Latvia First Party.

■ President Vaira Vike-Freiberga

In a statement, the President pointed out that the change to the constitution did not alter anything as marriage was already defined in civil law as being between a man and a woman.

“If one had in mind that by adding such requirement to the constitution it will guarantee that it will stay there for ever and all the time, then it is of course an illusion – a wrong hope,” she said.

The President then pointed out that Parliament can amend the amendment whenever it wants.

“Honestly speaking, I, as a president, cannot see clearly the benefit of this amendment to the nation. However since indeed it does not change anything in substance for the better neither for the worst, I do not see any reason not to sign it,” the President said.

“I would also like to stress that this constitutional amendment in no way introduces any discriminatory requirements towards gays and lesbians.”

President Vike-Freiberga then went of to comment on the debate in Parliament.

“The debates which took place in the Saeima [parliament] when discussing this amendment, in my view, very often demonstrated very explicit intolerance and explicit homophobia,” she said.

“People can have their own religious beliefs, their own understanding of what is sin and what is not, what is appropriate and what is not appropriate behaviour.

“However, as a president, I would like to remind, that in a democratic nation as we are, a private life is separated form a public sphere  and what people do in their intimacy is no one’s business, unless it contradicts our laws.

“Everyone is equal in their rights. I also would like to ask people not come out with extreme statements which encourage and promote hate, prejudice and which humiliate and devalue those thinking or living differently.

“We all want to enjoy freedom provided by our constitution and our democracy. Please, let us be tolerant towards other people’s freedom of choice,”  she pleaded.

Note:  The official English language translation from the President's office will be available tomorrow (December 22) on the President's website. 

UK:   Timeline Of Gay and Lesbian Marriage, Partnership or Unions Worldwide.  From the Netherlands in 1979 to the UK's new law effective today, all the legislation - strong and weak - that recognises same-sex partnerships to some degree or another.  (UK Gay News, December 5, 2005)

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