Seimas speaker says same-sex marriage inevitable in Lithuania

Lithuania will legalise the right to marry for same-sex couples sooner or later, says Seimas Speaker Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen in her comment on Estonia’s move.

After the Riigikogu vote on Tuesday, Estonia became the first central European country to allow two people to marry regardless of their gender.

“We will certainly be on the list of countries that will sooner or later also regulate same-sex relationships. I believe that, this is inevitable. Looking at our neighbours, both the Estonians, who have taken a historic decision, and the Latvians, who have elected a representative of the LGBT community as president, it is clear that we are a bit late,” Čmilytė-Nielsen told Žinių radijas on Wednesday.

A broader understanding is needed in Lithuania as to the benefits of giving more rights to minorities, she said.