Tirana  - Albanian government is considering the legalization of same sex marriages, the cabinet of Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said Thursday.

In his speech before the parliament, Berisha said discrimination against homosexuals was "unacceptable" and that by adopting the law, Albania would conform to a European standard.

The Albanian parliament is soon to discuss the bill, which is an attempt by Tirana to bring the country closer to the European Union.

In this former communist country, homosexuality until 1995 was a crime that carried a 10-year prison sentence.

The new law will most likely provoke a huge debate in a country where the majority of the population are Muslims. Media reported that as Berisha presented the law before the assembly, some members of the parliament laughed.(dpa)