Gay spouses 'still being registered as partners'

Published: 27 Jul 09 08:12 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/20922/20090727/

Gay marriage has been permitted in Sweden since May, but the country's bureaucrats are proving slow to catch on. Same-sex couples who tie the knot are still being registered by the tax office as domestic partners.

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The error concerns most paperwork concerning same-sex married couples, although couples ordering personal ID papers (personbevis) from the office should find they are accorded the correct status.

The Swedish Tax Agency blames the problem on the fact that the law came into effect with little warning. Officials said the necessary changes to their computer systems would not be in place until November.

Sören Juvas, chairman of gay rights group RFSL, criticised the tax office's tardiness:

"I think it's taking too long to carry out these changes," he told Sveriges Radio.

TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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Your comments about this article:

The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

08:38 July 27, 2009 by Dafios

(homophobic comments deleted)

Report abuse »

09:13 July 27, 2009 by Nemesis

Dafios, why do you care so much? Are you gay?

I really don't understand what the big deal is. So what if people are gay, straight or whatever.

If two people want to get married, let them. It means more work for divorce lawyers and they need the work.

As for the sex bit. The next time you meet two gay men, why don't you ask them, instead of leaving it to your imagination?

Report abuse »

10:35 July 27, 2009 by Jenta

Dafios, you are clearly an ignorant bigot. You say "God! have merce upone your children" (eh?), but if you have children themselves then it is them that I feel sorry for, being brought up in an atmosphere of ignorance and discrimination. I only hope that they are able to see the world with an open mind, not through your hateful eyes.

Report abuse »

10:45 July 27, 2009 by Paulo +fab muscular than Jonnhy

@Dafios,

As far as I know children do not get married - why should the omnipotent divive supreme power of your superstitious creed have merce upon them?

Once again you are misguided in your assumptions about the lives of OTHER people whilst you'd rather be more concerned about your own one. No one needs you to feel shameful and pity for pleasures they(not YOU) go through.

Report abuse »

11:08 July 27, 2009 by Inletwatcher

So, it takes seven months to change a wording in the computer system? Is it really that hard.... or are there five year olds in charge of the tax office?

To all the flamers and haters, how will a homosexual marriage bother or involve your heterosexual union? What difference will it make, really?

Seven months.. let me take seven months to answer their letters or what-not and see how far that flies. Umm my computer...errr um...

IW

Report abuse »

14:25 July 27, 2009 by Luckystrike

That's typical, deflect and avoid, in this case delete any opposing argument against the holy union of gay couples, and call it homophobic.

Report abuse »

14:39 July 27, 2009 by Jenta

Uh, Luckystrike - did you actually read the comments Dafios made in his three hateful rants?

Report abuse »

14:40 July 27, 2009 by Paulo +fab muscular than Jonnhy

In this instance it was homophobic no matter how painful it is to realise they're the same folks who spew hatre and intolerance and depict themselves as something else - why it is so hard to admit it? However, the fact that is is an opposing argument is just merely a detail.

Report abuse »

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