On October 21, 2020, paraphrasing the deputy of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Mr. Mërgim Lushtaku, who from the podium of the Kosovo Assembly says: “Science has assessed that the legalization of same-sex marriage will lead to catastrophic social and familial effects…
The majority of researchers agree that children raised by the biological parents of a stable marriage fare better than children in other family forms… Marriage is by nature a heterosexual institution. Also, what we can draw from same-sex marriage is that children do not need mothers and fathers and that marriage is not intended to have babies. This model of marriage sees children as optional and unimportant.”
Civil society organizations, Center for Freedom and Equality (CEL), Center for the Development of Social Groups (CSGD), Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo (YIHR KS), Kosovo Center for Gender Studies (KCGS), and Civil Rights Defenders (CRD) believe that these statements are completely unacceptable and such action only increases intolerance, hatred, and mistrust among people because the offense, intolerance of a certain social group is of no value. Human rights defenders, the organizations organized an action at the PDK headquarters in which 5 activists participated. Activists held placards with various messages as well as LGBTI flags. All safety measures against COVID-19 have been observed, including distance and masks.
The organizations have also written to the Democratic Party of Kosovo asking them to give an answer if the statement of Mr. Mërgim Lushtaku to the rostrum of the Assembly of Kosovo are also PDK positions and how will I address the PDK intolerance and hate speech on social media by its members who hold public office and are elected by the citizens of Kosovo. We have also expressed our view that according to modern societies, the family is defined as a group of people who are connected through marriage, cohabitation, and birth. Anthropologists and modern societies know different family organizations. They can be man, woman and child or woman and child or man and child as well as man, man and child or woman, woman and child.
Center for Equality and Liberty – CEL
Center for Social Group Development – CSGD
Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo – YIHR KS
Kosovo Gender Studies Center – KGSC
Civil Rights Defenders – CRD
