Despite opposition from the Church of Greece and within the ruling New Democracy, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government said it will eventually move to legalize same-sex marriage, The National Herald reported.
However, no timetable was provided.
The expected opposition from the church did not deter Mitsotakis' administration to repeat that same-sex marriage would be brought before Parliament at some pointeven though one of his chief advisors, Makis Voridis, said he would vote against it.
The church's governing Holy Synod issued a 1,500-word opposition to the proposal. In part, the religious body claimed that children are being treated as "accessories" and "companion pets" for same-sex couples.
"We always listen to the opinions of the Church with respect," government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said. "But at the same time, we are implementing our policy, and will listen to the views of society, civil society, the citizenry, institutions, and parties in total." He added that the legislation would be brought to parliament during the house's current term, which ends in 2027.
A survey that has split the ruling political party showed that 52 percent of respondents favored same-sex marriages and 20 percent "would like it to be allowed," while 33 percent opposed it.