RIGA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A Latvian parliamentary committee rejected a legislative initiative on Wednesday calling for regulation for couples living in unregistered relationships, local media reported.
Latvia's Development party, the author of the proposal, issued a statement to the press in which it expressed disappointment at the decision taken by the parliamentary committee for mandates, ethics and submissions.
The parliamentary committee dismissed the proposal to pass a cohabitation law by five votes to two, and two abstentions.
Latvian Development leader Juris Puce said in a statement, that the party was indignant over the "committee's choice to simply ignore a real problem that already exists in Latvia's society instead of dealing with it."
At present, Latvian laws offer no protection to unmarried couples if their partner dies or falls ill, and the authors of the initiative want to change this.
The political party is determined to keep coming up with new solutions to tackle the issue of unregistered partnerships.
The parliamentary committee had to consider the initiative after a petition calling for a cohabitation law and signed by 10,276 voters was submitted to the Latvian parliament.
The initiative, however, has so far failed to gain support from Latvian lawmakers.
