Sinkevičius says family question must not fuel culture wars

Democrats leader Virginijus Sinkevičius said political parties should focus on practical support for families, not use the definition of family to fuel “culture wars”. He was responding to Farmers and Greens leader Aurelijus Veryga, who linked his party’s vote on the budget to progress on a proposed consultative referendum, LRT reported.

“We should help families with concrete measures,” Sinkevičius told reporters in parliament on Thursday. “That is what the Democrats do: not try to define family, but ensure people have incentives and every opportunity to start a family.”

He said family policy should be a state priority and called for fairness, adding that this meant providing a 100% benefit when a child is born.

Veryga said last week that the Farmers and Greens’ vote on the budget would be significantly affected by how parliament proceeds with the proposed consultative referendum on the concept of family. He described the issue as one criterion for whether his party was being treated seriously as a coalition partner.

Sinkevičius declined to say whether the demand was justified. “I am the leader of the Democrats, so I do not issue ultimatums,” he said.

Parliament Speaker Juozas Olekas said this week that the timing was not right for the referendum initiative. The proposal concerns the definition of family in Article 38 of the Constitution. In early April, parliament approved it at the initial presentation stage following an initiative by 63 MPs.

Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Law Enforcement has received expert opinions from Vytautas Magnus University, Vilnius University and Mykolas Romeris University, but has not yet considered the matter. In September, MPs urged committee chair J. Sabatauskas to share the opinions with members, put the issue on an upcoming agenda and ensure it was considered on time. Hearings scheduled for October 1 were cancelled on the eve of the meeting.

Parliament’s Ethics and Procedures Commission unanimously voted to investigate Sabatauskas’s actions and possible inaction in handling the referendum issue. The procedures needed for parliament to decide whether to call the referendum must be completed by December 7. The first reading of the draft budget is scheduled for November 19 and the second for December 1.