Montenegro on July 1 became the first European country outside of the European Union to officially recognize same-sex couples.
Reuters reported a bill to recognize same-sex couples’ civil partnerships passed in the 81-seat Montenegrin Parliament with 42 votes.
Prime Minister Duško Marković is among those who celebrated the measure’s narrow passage. “I welcome the adoption of the Law on Same-Sex Life Partnership in Parliament,” he tweeted.
Marković added the bill’s passage is “a great step in the right direction for MNE (Montenegrin society, it’s democratic maturity and integration process.” “Equality and same rights for all are the cornerstone of human and European values,” he said.