CROATIA: Parliament Approves Public Vote On Same-Sex Marriage Ban

Croatia's parliament has approved a public referendum on a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.  The vote will take place on December 1st. Via Buzzfeed:

The commission voted 10-3 to hold a referendum on whether to constitutionally define marriage as being between a man and a woman. Croatia currently has minimal partnership protections in the form of “cohabitation agreements.” The decision comes at an awkward moment for the Balkan country. Croatia officially joined the European Union on July 1, and its LGBTI rights record came under close scrutiny in the lead-up. It was required to adopt a law banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation as a condition of EU membership.

Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Uzra Zeya reacted: "As a matter of policy, the U.S. government does not advocate for or against same-sex marriage in other countries." The public vote, which is being sponsored by a group called In the Name of the Family, is not binding on the Croatian parliament, who has the power to veto the amendment.