Justice ministry wants ban on homosexual adoptions

Poland's justice ministry is preparing a bill banning homosexual couples from adopting children.

Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, whose Solidary Poland party is part of Poland's ruling United Right Coalition, led by the staunchly conservative Law and Justice party, said on Thursday that the bill was designed to protect children from adoption by homosexuals.

Poland’s government has made protecting what it considers as the country’s traditional values from liberal and cosmopolitan tendencies a cornerstone of its policies, despite it generating strident domestic and international criticism.

Speaking at a press conference, he added the bill corresponded “to the wishes of most Poles”, and that the move was in keeping with the Polish constitution, which placed the welfare of children as key priority.

Explaining the reasons for the bill, Ziobro said that the natural environment for raising children was a traditional family, and that the constitution recognised marriage only as a union between a woman and a man.

He also pointed out that similar views were shared by the vast majority of Poles.

But the proposal drew immediate criticism from the political opposition.

Michał Kobosko from the Poland 2050 group, said the bill was harmful and would only sow social discord.

Kobosko added that the United Right's government policy was based on "causing conflict in society and turning people against each other" and could bring "devastating effects."

"Every further day under this government is harmful to Poland," Kobosko warned.