Albanian gays welcome PM's same-sex marriage plan

By Benet Koleka

TIRANA (Reuters) - Albania's homosexuals won more than they had hoped for after the government said it planned to allow same-sex marriages despite opposition from religious leaders and politicians.

The proposal put forward by Prime Minister Sali Berisha on Thursday faces a tough fight in parliament.

But should he make good on his plans, Albania would join European Union members The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain in giving gay couples the same rights as heterosexual couples and would be the first country in the Balkans to do so.

"This is not only a step to be taken for European integration, but primarily for the emancipation of the Albanian society," the Alliance against Discrimination of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) said Friday.

"We are proud that our country is joining so many others in embracing equality and rejecting discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people," it added.

As candidates for EU membership, all Balkan nations will eventually have to pass laws protecting sexual minorities from discrimination as part of the accession process, but not necessarily approve gay marriages.

Almost two decades after communism fell, Albanian homosexuals still keep their sex lives secret to shield themselves from the opprobrium of a macho-minded society.

An Albanian lesbian speaking on behalf of the alliance said the proposal for same-sex marriages took their group by surprise as they had lobbied only for a law against discrimination in society and the workplace.