Only Gay in the Village

The European Union's top court ruled this week that a same sex partner may be entitled to the work pension of his or her deceased partner.

But the European Court of Justice said it will be up to the domestic courts in EU member states to decide if same sex unions are put on a par with husband-wife marriages.

One country which says it's examining the possibility of giving gay couples the same rights as heterosexuals, is Greece.

The government in Athens is coming under pressure from the country's national commission for human rights, which is concerned about levels of discrimination against homosexuals.

An example is a gay man in a southern Greek village who claims he's been unable to leave his home for the past four years because of violence, threats and prejudice. To listen to Inside Europe's report on the case, please click on the audio link below.