The Lithuanian parliament is readying to prohibit marriages between people of the same sex.
Irena Degutiene of the oppositional Conservative Party group plans to start collection of signatures under a proposed amendment to Article 38 of the Constitution, which stipulates the status of family and marriage.
In Degutiene's words, one of the first steps towards Christian values and Christian family concept was taken on Tuesday after the parliament approved for discussion a change to Law on Social Services, which defines a family as "a man and a woman connected by marriage."
The amendment was initiated by Degutiene and Rima Baskiene.
The Conservative MP said the proposed amendment was aimed at "killing two birds with one stone" - among other things, it lays the groundwork for the banning of homosexual marriages.
"Discussions are starting in our country about whether two men or two women living together are a family. I am categorically against homosexual marriages, and the proposed amendment envisages a family as a marriage of a man and a woman," said Degutiene.
Last Thursday, the Latvian parliament approved Constitutional amendments banning marriages between persons of the same sex by vast majority.
Latvian gay and lesbian communities have protested the amendments.
