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The government of Albania has passed a law that prevents discrimination against lesbians, gay men and transsexual people. However, a proposal to legalise same-sex marriage was dropped from the same bill.

The law, which was voted in unanimously by the parliament in Tirana, prevents discrimination by employers, educational establishments, the providers of goods and services and health care, and guarantees all people “equality before the law and equal protection by law”. It had come to be known as ‘the gay law’ because of the large amounts of publicity it had received from Prime Minister Sali Berisha.

The law supporting same-sex unions had been expected to be passed too, after receiving vocal support from Berisha. However, campaigning by Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic lobbyists saw the provision abandoned.

The new legislation is seen as taking the Balkan state a step nearer to membership of the European Union, which it applied for last year, since one qualification for full accession is laws protecting LGBT against unequal treatment.

Despite only being a partial victory, Albanian LGBT rights organisations are hailing the change to the law as a success. In a statement, the Alliance Against Discrimination described the new rule as “a victory for democracy and for human rights for all Albanians.”

Posted in: Campaigns & Politics |