(ANSA-AP) - BRATISLAVA - A nationwide referendum on restricting gay rights in Slovakia has failed to produce a legally binding result after the required number of eligible voters did not turn out. In Saturday's vote, Slovaks were asked whether they agree to three points: that marriage can only be called a union between a man and a woman; that same-sex partners must be barred from adopting children; and that it's up to parents to decide whether their children receive sex education.

The vote was forced by the Alliance for Family, a social conservative group that received a massive support from the Catholic Church. With all the votes tallied early Sunday by the country's Statistics Office, voters in the predominantly Catholic country overwhelmingly voted "yes" - 95, 92 and 90 percent, respectively - to the three questions. But turnout reached only 21.4 percent, far less than the 50 percent needed.

(ANSA-AP).