Lithuanian justice minister denies being homophobic amid same-sex partnership dispute

Lithuania’s Justice Minister Rita Tamašunienė has rejected accusations of homophobia after her ministry challenged court rulings allowing same-sex partnerships to be registered, LRT reports.

The minister stressed that while she personally supports the traditional concept of family, her objections are based on legal arguments rather than discrimination. “Everyone has the right to express their opinion. I want to emphasise that I am truly not a homophobe—all people are important and deserve respect,” Tamašunienė said in a statement to ELTA. She argued that current laws do not provide a clear legal basis for registering partnerships, as the Civil Code requires such unions to be formalised only through procedures set by statute.

Tamašunienė acknowledged that partnerships could be registered once the Seimas (parliament) adopts a dedicated law, noting that such a move would carry broader legal implications, including inheritance and property rights. “The power to legislate belongs to the Seimas, so this must be a decision by the majority of the nation’s representatives,” she said.

Her comments follow criticism from human rights advocates, who accuse the ministry of deliberately delaying the process and fostering homophobia. The Tolerant Youth Association has announced a protest outside the ministry this weekend, timed to coincide with Vilnius’s LGBTQ+ Pride march. Demonstrators plan to display pink triangles—a symbol used to mark homosexuals in Nazi concentration camps—calling the ministry’s stance “hostile.”

The dispute stems from a Constitutional Court ruling last April, which found that Lithuania’s failure to legalise same-sex partnerships violates the constitution. The court also struck down a Civil Code provision restricting partnerships to opposite-sex couples. While the code recognises cohabitation agreements, it currently lacks specific regulations for same-sex unions.