Regulating or recognizing same-sex marriage is not what the ECHR asked Romania to do, head of the Romanian anti-discrimination body CNCD Csaba Asztalos explained for G4media.

Civil partnership legislation would suffice, he argues.

But such a bill, if not endorsed by the end of this session of the Parliament, may have to be postponed until 2025 as the topic might prove delicate in an electoral year, he added.

"Those who say that the ECHR obliges Romania to ensure the marriage of persons of the same sex or to recognize the marriage of persons of the same sex concluded abroad are telling a big lie. The Romanian state can implement this decision by adopting a civil partnership law, which is totally different from the institution of marriage and, importantly, has nothing to do with the adoption of children by same-sex couples. There is no such obligation by the ECHR decision," Asztalos stated.

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iulian@romania-insider.com