First Same-sex Marriages
On 3 June 2008, the mayor of Tilos, Anastasios Aliferis, married two homosexual couples, two lesbians and two gay men, citing a legal loophole. He was heavily criticized by clergymen of the Church of Greece, which in the past had also opposed the introduction of heterosexual civil marriage, the original intent of the 1982 law. Justice Minister Sotirios Hatzigakis declared the Tilos marriages "invalid" and Supreme Court prosecutor Georgios Sanidas warned Mayor Aliferis of the legal repercussions of his "breach of duty", but he said he had "no intention of annulling the marriages". The government filed a court motion to annul the two same-sex marriages, stirring demonstrations and protests among the LGBT community.
On 5 May 2009, a court ruled the marriages were invalid, but the couples intended to appeal the ruling, up to the ECHR if necessary. The hearing of the case in the court of appeals was held on January 14, 2011 and the decision came out on April 14, 2011. It also ruled that the two marriages are non existent. The case now proceeds to the Supreme Court (Areios Pagos).
Read more about this topic: Recognition Of Same-sex Unions In Greece
Famous quotes containing the word marriages:
“Women have entered the work force . . . partly to express their feelings of self-worth . . . partly because today many families would not survive without two incomes, partly because they are not at all sure their marriages will last. The day of the husband as permanent meal-ticket is over, a fact most women recognize, however they feel about “women’s liberation.””
—Robert Neelly Bellah (20th century)