Georgian Parliament Speaker: Sweden’s PM setting same-sex marriage as EU accession condition alarming

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday expressed concern over statements by the Swedish Prime Minister linking the legalisation of same-sex marriage to EU membership, arguing that such a requirement contradicts the formal criteria for accession.

In a social media post, Papuashvili called for clarification from the Swedish Embassy on whether this stance reflects Sweden’s official position.

“It is concerning that the Swedish Prime Minister has named the legalisation of same-sex marriage as a prerequisite for EU membership, which contradicts the formal requirements for accession”, Papuashvili said.

The Speaker urged the Swedish Embassy to clarify whether the Prime Minister’s statement represents Sweden’s formal policy when evaluating candidate countries.

“Given that a single EU member state can block a candidate country’s EU integration process, it is important for the Swedish Embassy to clarify whether the requirement for legalising same-sex marriage, as stated by the Swedish Prime Minister, is part of Sweden’s official position when making decisions regarding candidate countries”, he noted.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Friday said that, within the framework of European integration, Ukraine must regulate same-sex partnerships and ensure full legal protection for the LGBT community.