Ukrainian official rules out Sir Elton John’s adoption
Gino Meriano comments “This is where our fight for equality has to expand across all countries, any form of legal union whether a Civil Partnership or Marriage must be regognised under the law and people like Sir Elton John must have the same rights under this law to adopt and do what is best for the child and not what is best for politics and religious beliefs”
SIR Elton John’s hopes of bringing home the orphaned boy who stole his heart were dashed last night as the Ukrainian authorities said no to his adoption bid.
Sir Elton’s civil partnership with film director David Furnish would also not be recognised as a marriage in the Ukraine. He added: “Foreign citizens who are single have no right to adopt children. The Ukrainian national law prohibits unmarried couples from adopting.
The 62-year-old singer told fans at a press conference on Saturday that he wanted to adopt angelic-looking Lev, 14 months, whose parents died of Aids-related illnesses.
But Yuriy Pavlenko, Minister for Family, Youth and Sport, said: “The age difference between the adopter and the child cannot be more than 45 years.”
“The law is the same for everybody – for a president, for a minister, for Elton John,” insisted Mr Pavlenko.
Elton John was branded a ’sinner’ by the Orthodox Church in Ukraine last night in the row over his wish to adopt a baby from the country.
However, at least one government source speculated that liberal politicians might seek to put a law through the Ukrainian parliament to enable the pop star to circumvent curbs which comprehensively forbid him from adopting. The Donetsk Diocese of the Orthodox Church was uncompromising in its stance against any move to help the singer and his partner David Furnish, who entered into a civil partnership in 2005.
Spokesman Father Georgy Gulyaev said: ‘Thank God it’s impossible under Ukrainian law for Elton John to adopt a child. ‘The Church is strictly against same-sex marriages and the damage they cause. It’s written in Holy Scriptures that homosexual marriage and relations is a sin.
‘It is a sin, it is against nature, and it represents the dead end of human development. ‘People pretend to have good intentions, create semi-marriages and so-called families, and moreover they dare to adopt children. Unlike people who are blessed by God to create natural families, these are people who succumb to their passions.
Features :
OK Magazine – http://www.ok.co.uk/celebnews/view/14095/Sir-Elton-too-old-to-adopt/
News of the World – http://www.magentanews.com/cache.asp?n=6863293
The Times – http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6834462.ece
Hello Magazine – http://www.hellomagazine.com/music/200909152028/elton/john/adoption/1/