Minister of Labour, the Family and Social Affairs Ivan Svetlik told a press conference after the government session that the bill gives a legal framework for the new practice that has established itself over the last decades, pointing out that the share of non-traditional families has increased substantially.
The bill leaves the traditional matrimonial partnership between a man and a woman untouched and establishes no new family forms, but only acknowledges the ones that already exist, stressed Svetlik and added that the government respects everyone's right to choose their own lifestyle.
Furthermore, the proposed bill prohibits corporal punishment of children and other forms of humiliating treatment, which goes for parents as well as other persons, state authorities and public office holders.
According to the minister, this follows the principles that a child is in central position in a family and a condition for a community to be called a family.
The proposal to equalise same-sex unions with traditional marriage and allow same-sex couples to adopt children has been raising much dust for some time, inciting vigorous opposition by conservative parties, the Catholic Church and other groups.