Chairman of Social Democratic Party: I am against gay marriages and partnership

During a 15min.lt pre-electoral debate with the Minister of Justice, representative of the Liberal Movement Remigijus Simasius, Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania Algirdas Butkevicius stated that he is categorically against same-sex marriages.

“My personal position is even stronger. I am a believer and I am not afraid to tell that. Many people know that. I stand for the traditional family and I have emphasized that many times before. But the concept of family is understood differently in Lithuania. Mother and a child, father and a child, or grandparents, growing children, in my opinion, is family. But I support neither same-sex partnership nor marriage,” stated Butkevicius.   The Minister of Justice also claimed that he supports the traditional family and is a believer, but that he nonetheless does not oppose same-sex partnership. “I support the traditional family and I am a believer, but that does not mean that the State should dictate what happens in people’s bedrooms. It is very important that each family is respected and people’s relations recognised, as long as they are not harmful for others,” stated Simasius.   When asked how many homosexuals are among the members of the Liberal Movement, which supports same-sex civil partnership, the Minister could not answer. “The truth is that I didn’t ask anyone and I don’t know. And I don’t know whether anyone has revealed their homosexuality or not. All people must be respected, and so long as it is not in violation of the Criminal Code, it is not important what a person does at home and in the bedroom,” he explained.