“My job is to convince my coalition colleagues that we need to introduce civil partnerships at a minimum level into Polish law, Equality Minister Katarzyna Kotula said. The problem is that the left has already tried to convince its coalition colleagues to change the abortion law, but it has failed.
During Saturday’s panel on diversity at the Campus Poland of the Future in Olsztyn, Equality Minister Katarzyna Kotula said that “diversity is already here, we don’t need to build on it in any way.” She added, however, that diversity is not yet reflected in legal changes.
For this to become a reality at the level of government policy, whether it is created by the government or by local governments, a lot of things need to change. During these last dark times, especially eight years, when hatred broke out at the central level of government policy, especially against LGBT people, and rights were violated, a lot of good things happened at the level of local government.
– she said. She named these local governments: Kraków, Warsaw, Poznań and Szczecin.
Referring to the United Right government, which – in her view – tried to build a sense of threat towards otherness, she recalled that then “the time had come to fight for democracy, the rule of law and the constitution”.
These are three key words that have echoed in my head like a communion soda over the past few months, because I also went to all these protests and was firmly convinced that the rule of law, the constitution and democracy mean exactly what they mean. should mean.
she said.
She added that equal treatment is enshrined in the Constitution and international law, which – as she noted – applies to us because we are part of the EU.
And then it turned out that some of our colleagues and I understood a little differently what the fight for the rule of law was, what the fight for the constitution and democracy was. And today my main task – these are the plans of our Equal Treatment Department, which operates in the Prime Minister’s Office – is to do everything I can to introduce for the first time in Polish legislation an institution that we call a registered partnership
– she said.
“If it passes, it will be the biggest bill this government will bring forward.”
She noted that the work had taken months and that the analysis phase was currently underway. She explained that these were two major bills – on partnerships and the introductory bill, which amends 234 other laws – and that there also needs to be regulation.
This will be the biggest bill this government will bring forward, if it comes through. It is my job to do everything I can to make this happen. And of course we can discuss the details, although I believe there are issues of dignity that we cannot give up
– she said. This “if” could be crucial, as the December 13 coalition government has problems fulfilling most of its election promises, and the left’s current “flagship” program, regarding changes to the abortion law, failed to gain a majority in the Sejm elections.
My task today is not to stamp in the sandbox, but to convince my colleagues that we need to introduce civil partnerships in Poland at a minimum level. Firstly, because we have a ruling from the European Court (of Human Rights) that obliges us to do so. Secondly, we fought for it, thirdly, we promised it
– said Kotula.
She announced that individual ministries would “get two very large projects done” in the coming weeks, noting that this process would likely take some time.
Then there will be public consultations and we will bring it to the Sejm. I hope there will be a majority
– she said.
Kotula admitted that some people believe that today there are other, more important issues related to the geopolitical situation and the war in Ukraine, first of all security, including the armament of the army. However, she also viewed civil partnerships as… security issues.
What, if not a question of security, is the question of civil partnerships today? This is first and foremost a question of security, dignity and fundamental human rights. This is the regulation of the right to cohabitation for people who have been living together for years, living together and, above all, raising children together
– she judged.
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PAP/as above
Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.