Latvia allows first same-sex partnerships as new law takes effect

Starting Monday, same-sex partnerships are now allowed to register in Latvia. The first such couple was Maksims Ringo and Janis Locs, who legalized their union just after midnight.

After a ceremony in a law office in the historic center of Riga, the couple exchanged silver rings at a reception held in the city's main library.

"We are together for five and a half years … so for us, it’s mostly practical," said Ringo.

Since 2005, the Latvian constitution has defined marriage as a union permitted only between men and women. However, in November of last year, the Latvian parliament voted to adopt legal provisions regarding same-sex partnerships formally.

Partners in such a union have the right to hospital visits, and tax and social security issues are adjusted to their advantage. However, they cannot adopt children and must deal with inheritance issues.

The new regulations' entry into force in Latvia means that currently, only five EU countries do not allow same-sex partnerships to be officially registered: Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.