{
  "id": 14639274,
  "title": "Slovakian gay couple takes government to court over refusal to recognise marriage registered in Austria",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/slovakian-gay-couple-takes-government-to-court-over-refusal-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T07:26:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2026/10/15/slovakian-gay-couple-takes-government-to-court-over-refusal-to-recognise-marriage-registered-in-austria/239211"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bratislava, October 15 — Two Slovakian men, Ivan Novotny and Metod Spacek, have been married in Austria since 2020, but their home country has refused to recognize their union. The pair are now taking the Slovakian government to court over the decision, arguing it violates an EU court ruling that all member states must recognize same-sex marriages registered in other EU states. Novotny, 31, and Spacek, 51, claim that Prime Minister Robert Fico's nationalist government is violating LGBTQ rights by tightening regulations and prioritizing national law over EU law. The duo is challenging the Slovakian government's decision in court, where Fico's four-time tenure as premier has seen a decline in LGBTQ rights, with public support for equal rights at 35 percent, one of the lowest in the EU. Fico has vowed to \"build a barrier against progressivism\" and recently altered the constitution to recognize only male and female genders, a setback for LGBTQ rights. The pair, former foreign ministry officials, filed a lawsuit against the civil registry after receiving a letter from Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok in August denying their marriage registration request. They argue that the nine-month delay in decision-making far exceeds the standard timeframe and the politicization of the process is unacceptable. Fico, a supporter of US President Donald Trump, has personally commented on the case, stating that same-sex marriages are not possible in Slovakia as they are non-existent under Slovak law. The Constitutional Court previously struck down a 2023 petition seeking to extend legal protection to families outside marriage, acknowledging the state's obligation under European law to establish some form of legal recognition for same-sex couples. Fico's constitutional amendments, which define marriage as a union between man and woman, and prohibit sex changes, have led Brussels to initiate legal action against Slovakia last November. The pair intends to stay in Slovakia despite Fico's policies, but fear discrimination against LGBTQ individuals will worsen under his fifth term if he wins the upcoming elections next year.",
  "summary": "BRATISLAVA, Oct 15 — Slovakian lawyers Ivan Novotny and Metod Spacek got married in Austria in 2020, bu...",
  "key_points": [
    "Slovakian gay couple Ivan Novotny and Metod Spacek sue government over marriage refusal.",
    "Refusal violates EU court ruling on same-sex marriage recognition.",
    "Fico's government tightening regulations, prioritizing national law over EU law."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}