Ukraine Considers Gay Rights

Back in October, the Ukrainian Parliament overwhelmingly approved the first reading of a bill that would ban "gay propaganda."  But final passage of that bill has since been stalled after it appeared to threaten Ukraine's long-desired membership in the European Union.  Yesterday Ukraine flip-flopped.

Ukraine’s foreign minister Leonid Kozhara stated that a law prohibiting discrimination against gays will be adopted soon, in order to speed up visa entry harmonization with the European Union. During an interview with the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, Kozhara stated yesterday (7 February): "The issue of homosexuals is now generating strong controversy in Ukraine, but our government has already prepared a draft law and will soon submit it to the parliament. Without a law that prohibits discrimination against gays, we cannot move on the road to abolition of visas. I think that the will to further integration with the European Union outweighs the resistance, and the law will be passed."

Next week Ukraine will submit their proposed bill to the European Union.