The public debate on the bill concerning the marriage and procreation of same-sex couples is in full swing, with the Church, through the mouth of the Archbishop, proposing to hold a referendum, the government answering “no” through Pavlos Marinakis and the Kyriakos Mitsotakis to “announce” in an interview at Bloombergthat the bill will be voted on in the Parliament within the first two weeks of February.

Everything shows that we are entering the final stretch for the completion of a political thriller, which caused turmoil both in the government party and in the opposition parties, but also in society.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, nevertheless, appears determined to fulfill one more pre-election commitment. The bill, according to what was stated by Prime Minister in a recent interview he gave to the state channel, it will include civil marriage for same-sex couples and childbearing, but not surrogacy, as the status and conditions for this specific issue will not be differentiated from those that apply today. In other words, the use of a surrogate will only be allowed if a woman is unable to conceive due to medical reasons.

The debate, however, which had intensified recently about when it will be submitted to Parliament the bill for same-sex couples was completed prematurely. The Prime Minister told Bloomberg that the bill will come to Parliament within the first two weeks of February, speeding up the time frame and denying estimates – mainly from the opposition – that he would bring it after – even after – the European elections, in order to avoid the any political cost.

“It was part of our program and will be discussed at cabinet next week. I am optimistic that it will become state law in the first two weeks of February. These are important issues to many people, which is why I did not impose party discipline. It shouldn’t divide society, that’s why we have a healthy dialogue. But the rights of children that already exist must be protected. And I think it will be voted by Parliament. We have made equality our top priority. But in order to do that you have to have a growing economy,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis pointed out.

Hieronymos’ proposal for a referendum and Marinakis’ “no”.

His proposal Archbishop Hieronymos to hold a referendum, so that Greek society can decide on the marriage and procreation of same-sex couples, caused reactions, especially from the government, which made it clear that there is respect towards the Church, but not the one who legislates.

“Why not have a referendum? Wouldn’t that be a proposal too?”, he stressed, adding that the Hierarchy will decide on the position of the Church, which must inform the flock.

“In such matters, the Archbishop cannot take a stand alone, nor the prime minister”, he pointed out and added: “The flock must be informed, we must know what we are asking for and why we are asking for it and who makes us ask for it. Well, this is what people need to understand and see that those children who will come, I don’t know how they will be, how they will live in a family that will have two fathers, two mothers, how they will wake up in the morning in the house and what will he sees around him and we do not reject a new society that is being created, we see trends towards that. In such a society everyone has the right to pervert it and do with it as they want and don’t the rest of us have the right to say that we don’t like this thing? It’s a matter of society.”

The government’s response was immediate. THE Pavlos Marinakis he emphasized to SKAI 100.3:

“There is absolute respect for the government in the church. Obviously, we listen with total respect to the views as a whole because its contribution is timeless and especially in times of crisis these years for the support of the citizens. From now on. First of all, in our country rights issues are not resolved by referendums. So there is no such issue.

The opinion of the Greek people is expressed in the national elections where the parties come down with their programs and are either approved or rejected. Ours was passed by a large majority. In our program there was the LGBT+ rights agenda. And the specific bill is also a pre-election commitment.

No mood for confrontation with the Archbishop. It’s an argument we hear from others, that children will grow up with two moms and dads. At the moment many children are raised with two mothers and two fathers, and it does not mean that two men or a heterosexual couple are a priori unsuitable.

Since 1946 a man and a woman can adopt a child alone and enter into a cohabitation agreement and raise it together. But the child’s rights have not been regulated and the child may end up in an institution.

Now, like heterosexual couples, both candidates for adoption will be screened if they are suitable, whereas now only one of the two is actually screened. So it’s not something that doesn’t happen. Matters are regulated for the benefit of children.

One cannot tell the church whether he will speak and what he will say. She has the right to express her opinions. But we are clear. With absolute respect to the church, there is executive power in the country. She proposes a bill and it is up to the MPs to approve it. And we have every reason to be optimistic that it will be voted on.