Pelasgia
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Supreme Court refuses to recognise same-sex marriages performed abroad
Propontis, 14 February 2022 | Stephanos Lazarides
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The building of the Supreme Court of Pelasgia, on the corner of Vasileon Avenue and Omireias Street, in the government quarter of downtown Propontis
Same-sex marriages performed outside of Pelasgia cannot be recognised by Imperial authorities, the Supreme Court has held. In a unanimous decision written by Chief Justice Anastasios Georgopoulos, the 15-member court held that the decision of an official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to refuse civil registration to a marriage performed outside of Pelasgia on the grounds that the Pelasgian Civil Code does not recognise marriage except between persons of the opposite sex did not violate Article 4 of the Constitution of Pelasgia, which guarantees the equality of all citizens, and Articles 2 and 36, which enshrine the principles of comity and mutual recognition of official government decisions between states. The Court clarified that extending recognition to such instances would not be required by comity, as the principle is limited by domestic positive law and the overarching structure of the Pelasgian legal order, including the Constitution, whose substantive interpretations do not extent to recognising same-sex marital and other conjugal relations. The lack of dissent in the court, including from younger Justices Papatheodorakopoulos and Andreou, made it clear that this interpretation would stand for the medium to long-term future.
The decision was praised by the influential Pelasgian Orthodox Church, with Metropolitan Ambrosios of Thermi, the Empire's second largest city where registration of the marriage leading to the court case was originally attempted, hailing the Court's decision as a victory for normalcy and decency. "Our People's Faith is constantly under attack in this modern, secularised world," the Metropolitan stated. "It is good that the authorities of God's State on Europe still hold fast against godlessness and the destruction of tradition." The conservative government of the National Liberal Party (NLP), headed by Mr. Thrasyvoulos I. Krevatas, welcomed the decision through its press secretary, while urging all Pelasgians to respect the independence of the judiciary. Nonetheless, various opposition groups voiced their objections. The chief opposition, the People's Democratic Party (PDP - a broadly secular republican nationalist and populist party) lambasted the decision as a sign that the dominant NLP has "packed the Supreme Court with reactionary political appointees who are out of touch with younger generations."
This message was echoed by the Socialist Labour Party, which had championed efforts by various opposition groups, including the All-Pelasgian Association for Minority Rights (PASYMEDI), to grant sexual minorities recognition of such marriages. "If the Pelasgian State will continue to refuse to perform same-sex marriages at home, then let us at least perform them overseas and have them recognised back here," said Mr. Ilias Maximianos, a lawyer who leads the Association. "Foreign nationals sometimes come to Pelasgia to perform civil marriages which are recognised abroad; why should the inverse not be true, but only for same-sex couples?" A few hundred protestors sharing Mr. Miximianos' viewpoint gathered at Agora Square, outside the Forum of Propontis, to protest the decision. By contrast, the National Phalanx, a small ultranationalist group in Parliament, praised the decision and called for tighter controls on "deviant behaviours." A counter-protest by the group at Agora Square was separated from that of activists opposed to the decision by a small police presence. Apart from chanting on both sides, no conflict between the two groups occurred.
According to poll conducted by Palmos Statistics for the Propontios Logothetis, a mere 14% of Pelasgians support same sex marriage. The figure is the highest (at 24%) among younger urbanites, while a similar percentage support cohabitation agreements for same-sex couples. Among older and more rural voters, who tend to support the incumbent and dominant National Liberal Party, the figure is as low as 6%.
Other Headlines
- (International) Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls for withdrawal of foreign troops from Bourdignie, almost a year after the end of the conflict in that country. Pelasgia volunteers to dispatch observers to oversee the withdrawal.
- (Economy) National Shipping Magnates' Association of Pelasgia announces increased profits this year despite disruptions to global supply chains, citing alternative uses of ships as long-term storage facilities and the exploitation of more efficient technologies as probable causes.
- (Politics) Choice by Premier Krevatas of Foreign Minister Kantakouzenos as best man in his daughter's wedding seems to confirm rumors that the latter is the Prime Minister's favourite for his succession to the leadership of the National Liberal Party, Pelasgia's dominant political party since the 1950s.
- (Sports) Venetos Propontis AS defeats traditional rival Prasinos Thermi SF in football game, bringing the former one step closer to the title of champion. Asteras Nestani GS, a minor provincial team, will be facing the Propontine team in the finals.
© Copyright 2022 - O Propontios Logothetis S.A. / Ο Προπόντιος Λογοθέτης Α.Ε.
The decision was praised by the influential Pelasgian Orthodox Church, with Metropolitan Ambrosios of Thermi, the Empire's second largest city where registration of the marriage leading to the court case was originally attempted, hailing the Court's decision as a victory for normalcy and decency. "Our People's Faith is constantly under attack in this modern, secularised world," the Metropolitan stated. "It is good that the authorities of God's State on Europe still hold fast against godlessness and the destruction of tradition." The conservative government of the National Liberal Party (NLP), headed by Mr. Thrasyvoulos I. Krevatas, welcomed the decision through its press secretary, while urging all Pelasgians to respect the independence of the judiciary. Nonetheless, various opposition groups voiced their objections. The chief opposition, the People's Democratic Party (PDP - a broadly secular republican nationalist and populist party) lambasted the decision as a sign that the dominant NLP has "packed the Supreme Court with reactionary political appointees who are out of touch with younger generations."
This message was echoed by the Socialist Labour Party, which had championed efforts by various opposition groups, including the All-Pelasgian Association for Minority Rights (PASYMEDI), to grant sexual minorities recognition of such marriages. "If the Pelasgian State will continue to refuse to perform same-sex marriages at home, then let us at least perform them overseas and have them recognised back here," said Mr. Ilias Maximianos, a lawyer who leads the Association. "Foreign nationals sometimes come to Pelasgia to perform civil marriages which are recognised abroad; why should the inverse not be true, but only for same-sex couples?" A few hundred protestors sharing Mr. Miximianos' viewpoint gathered at Agora Square, outside the Forum of Propontis, to protest the decision. By contrast, the National Phalanx, a small ultranationalist group in Parliament, praised the decision and called for tighter controls on "deviant behaviours." A counter-protest by the group at Agora Square was separated from that of activists opposed to the decision by a small police presence. Apart from chanting on both sides, no conflict between the two groups occurred.
According to poll conducted by Palmos Statistics for the Propontios Logothetis, a mere 14% of Pelasgians support same sex marriage. The figure is the highest (at 24%) among younger urbanites, while a similar percentage support cohabitation agreements for same-sex couples. Among older and more rural voters, who tend to support the incumbent and dominant National Liberal Party, the figure is as low as 6%.
Other Headlines
- (International) Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls for withdrawal of foreign troops from Bourdignie, almost a year after the end of the conflict in that country. Pelasgia volunteers to dispatch observers to oversee the withdrawal.
- (Economy) National Shipping Magnates' Association of Pelasgia announces increased profits this year despite disruptions to global supply chains, citing alternative uses of ships as long-term storage facilities and the exploitation of more efficient technologies as probable causes.
- (Politics) Choice by Premier Krevatas of Foreign Minister Kantakouzenos as best man in his daughter's wedding seems to confirm rumors that the latter is the Prime Minister's favourite for his succession to the leadership of the National Liberal Party, Pelasgia's dominant political party since the 1950s.
- (Sports) Venetos Propontis AS defeats traditional rival Prasinos Thermi SF in football game, bringing the former one step closer to the title of champion. Asteras Nestani GS, a minor provincial team, will be facing the Propontine team in the finals.
© Copyright 2022 - O Propontios Logothetis S.A. / Ο Προπόντιος Λογοθέτης Α.Ε.
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