Joe.My.God. LGBT News
After rejecting the bill on last week’s first reading, today Ukraine’s Parliament approved gay employment protections in order to qualify for visa-free travel within most EU nations. But according to a local gay journalist, the protections are set to expire soon, making the bill a mere end-run around the EU’s requirements. In addition, the bill only passed after MPs were promised that same-sex marriage will never be legalized in Ukraine. The BBC reports:
Ukraine’s parliament has passed a law banning discrimination in the workplace, including that based on sexual orientation. It is the last of a package of ten laws that had to be approved for the European Union to consider visa-free travel for Ukrainians. Several previous attempts to get the bill through parliament failed over fears it would lead to the introduction of same-sex marriage in Ukraine. The decision was supported by 234 MPs. The speaker of parliament assured deputies that the law would not threaten “family values”, saying: “I hear some fake information which says that there may be same-sex marriages in Ukraine. God forbid, this will ever happen. We will never support this.” In response to the vote, Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko tweeted: “Ukraine is breaking free from the shackles of discrimination from the Soviet past. Meanwhile, family values remain inviolable.”
The EU has two weeks to decide if Ukraine’s move is legitimate. JMG reader Luis points us to statements made by local reporter Maxim Eristavi.