International meeting of bishops in Bratislava

Bishops from Central and Eastern Europe met in Bratislava to discuss the challenging issues of truth, human dignity as well as the recent migrant situation. The main outcome of their meeting is a call for respecting the autonomy of Central and Eastern European countries regarding cultural and ethical issues, in relation to the European Union and the European institutions. The Slovak Prime minister Peter Pellegrini, who took part in the meeting, underlined the government's good relationship with the church, the constitutional law on marriage as a union solely between man and woman passed in 2014 and the overall reluctant attitude towards the Istanbul Convention. This document, which pleas to combat violence against women and domestic violence, remains controversial in Slovakia. While there is no explicit mention of gay marriage in the treaty, many Slovaks view its wording as a threat to the traditional family structure.