CHURCH ORDERS ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TO REJECT GAY MARRIAGES

Vatican denounced the vote by the European Parliament that gay and unwed heterosexual couples should have the same rights as married ones as an 'attack on the family based on marriage'.

Equal Opportunity Minister, Laura Balbo, said it would be a long time before Parliament would comply with the ruling.

She said that Italian society is changing and that 'opinion polls show that most Italians have no problem accepting gay and unwed couples'.

Conservative politicians, however, denounced the vote as unconstitutional.

Right-wing Alleanza Nazionale leader, Gianfranco Fini stated his party would reject any bill aiming at making the EU vote law in Italy.

His opinion was taken up by the catholic-inspired Popular Party Leader, Castagnetti, who stated that the vote goes against natural law and Italian Constitution.

Church officials always speak against gay rights and the Vatican daily Osservatore Romano writes that homosexual relationships ' offend the dignity of people'.

Gay associations and campaigners for gay right greeted the EU vote with enthusiasm and the gay lobby group Circolo Mario Mieli urged to remember that the Constitution dates back to 1948 and that it was high time it was chugged to adapt it to the changing needs of Italian society.