As Slovakia gears up for a referendum on same-sex unions this coming weekend, Pope Francis gave his blessing to the country’s efforts to block marriage and adoption rights for gay couples.
Speaking at his weekly general audience on Wednesday, the pope said: “I greet the pilgrims from Slovakia and, through them, I wish to express my appreciation to the entire Slovak church, encouraging everyone to continue their efforts in defense of the family, the vital cell of society.”
Alliance for the Family, a Slovak conservative group, has gathered more than 400,000 votes — representing nearly 10 percent of the country’s electorate, according to Reuters — on a petition calling for a national vote that could block any future efforts to overturn Slovakia’s existing ban on same-sex marriage.
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• “Schools shall not require children to participate in education in the area of sexual behaviour or euthanasia if their parents or the children themselves do not agree with it.”
Over 50 percent of the country’s 5.4 million people must turn out to the ballot in order for Saturday’s vote to be legally binding.
