BUCHAREST, Romania, July 21, 2016 /
Christian Newswire/ -- In a major victory for natural marriage and the right of Romanian citizens to determine their own destiny, yesterday the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) approved as constitutional a voter initiative that would permanently memorialize marriage as the union of one man and one woman in Romania's Constitution. More than three million Romanian citizens (in a country of less than 20 million people) signed the petition to place this issue on the ballot – by far the most signatures ever obtained on any referendum in Romania's history. Today's unanimous 8-0 decision by the CCR means that the referendum can now move forward.
Liberty Counsel submitted a major brief in support of the referendum, pointing out the intrinsic and common-sense benefits of natural marriage, discussing the deleterious effects of same-sex "marriage" in the handful of nations that have tried out this social experiment, and debunking the fraudulent Kinseyan "research" that lies at the heart of the sexual revolution. Liberty Counsel's brief was instrumental in exposing and rebutting the misleading arguments and briefs submitted by a number of pro-homosexual organizations from outside of Romania, such as ILGA Europe and Amnesty International. Romania and other traditional nations in Europe have come under increasing foreign pressure to abandon their heritage, traditions and sovereignty in favor of the homosexual agenda pushed from abroad.
"This is a great victory for marriage, democracy and the rule of law," said Horatio "Harry" Mihet, Chief Litigation Counsel at Liberty Counsel and a native of Romania. "By approving this referendum, the Constitutional Court has given voice to the millions of Romanians who want to affirm the timeless definition of marriage. The CCR has recognized the sovereignty of the Romanian people to define marriage for themselves, as well as the supremacy of their choice over and above the dictates of pro-homosexual forces in Europe and beyond," Mihet said.
Mihet was born in Romania. His first day of freedom before immigrating to the United States was December 25, 1989, when Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown and shot by a firing squad after a short military trial.
Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.
