Albania Gets LGBT Rights Law

Albania's parliament has passed a comprehensive LGBT rights law, but the bill does not include marriage equality as had been promised by the president.

Albanian rights groups and the Alliance against the Discrimination of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) welcomed the law as a powerful legal tool to protect against any kind of discrimination. Approved by the ruling Democratic Party and its allies in parliament late on Thursday, the law does not allow same-sex marriage as promised by Prime Minister Sali Berisha. Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic communities condemned the idea. 'This law is not simply a fulfilment of requirements that Albania has undertaken for European Union integration and visa liberalisation. Above all, it is a victory for democracy and for human rights for all Albanians,' the LGBT community said. The group hoped that Berisha would eventually keep his promise to legalise same-sex marriage.