Zelenskyy: Ministry of Justice drafting bill on same-sex partnerships
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: president.gov.ua
The Justice Ministry on the instructions of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is drawing up a draft law on the establishment of an "institute of civil partnerships" in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said this in his response to the electronic petition "For Registered Partnerships for Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples, in Support of Bill No. 9103 ‘On the Institute of Registered Partnerships’".
As reported, draft law No. 9103 was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada in early March by Inna Sovsun, an MP of the “Holos” party.
According to the President, "the Ukrainian state has consciously chosen to move towards European standards", one of which is "the prohibition of discrimination", but allowing same-sex marriage in the country is still not allowed by Article 51 of the Constitution, according to which "marriage is based on the free consent of woman and man".
"Under conditions of martial law or state of emergency, the Constitution of Ukraine cannot be changed (Article 157 of the Constitution)," Zelenskyy continues. “That is why I addressed the Cabinet of Ministers with a proposal to work on the issue of establishing an institution of registered civil partnership. As part of its National Human Rights Strategy, the government has instructed the Ministry of Justice to draft and submit to the Cabinet of Ministers a bill to eliminate discriminatory provisions that may violate the property and non-property rights of unmarried partners and to establish an institution of registered civil partnership. The Ministry of Justice is now working on a comprehensive legislative introduction of the Institute of civil partnership.”
As for Inna Sovsun's draft law, the President said that the relevant parliamentary committees and authorised government bodies had made "comments and suggestions" about a number of its provisions, "which require improvement". Nevertheless, Zelenskyy appealed to the Speaker of the Parliament "with a request to consider the issue raised in the electronic petition".
As earlier reported, draft law No 9103 proposed to grant same-sex couples the same rights that traditional families have "by default".
Read also
OCU chaplain: A soldier should not feel guilty for killing enemies
According to a cleric of the OCU, the word “killing” should not even be used in this context.
AFU servicewoman punished by “being sent to the frontline” for defending UOC
An OCU representative explained how commanders punish UOC believers who defend their Church.
UOC church seized after OCU's and UGCC's provocation at soldier's funeral
Supporters of the UGCC brought the body of a soldier into the church, pressuring a UOC priest to conduct the funeral according to the Greek Catholic rite in an Orthodox church.
UOC hierarch calls on the faithful to pray for the return of seized shrine
Metropolitan Theodosiy urged the faithful to communal and personal prayer to Archangel Michael.
Russian Orthodox Church Primate: Christ did not condemn death penalty
The Patriarch added that, although the Church does not welcome the death penalty, it has never condemned it if this punishment is carried out in accordance with the law.
Metropolitan Jonathan appeals sentence to Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has requested criminal case files from the Vinnytsia City Court for cassation review.