Belgium: Gay adoption for Ukrainian orphanage baby
21/02/2011
Submitted by
ILGA-Europe
Original source: http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/110219_ukraine
The Belgian Foreign Ministry has issued a Belgian passport for Samuel, a two-year old boy from Ukraine, who is being adopted by a Belgian gay couple. Samuel's prospective adoptive parents are convinced that the boy could be in Belgium within days.
The two year old is currently staying in an orphanage in Ukraine. His plight came to public attention when the VRT News programme "Koppen" reported on his story.
One of the gay men is Samuel's natural father. The toddler was born after a Ukrainian woman was inseminated using the Belgian's sperm. The adoption got into trouble due to legal problems and Samuel first ended up in a Ukrainian orphanage. He is now living with the gay couple’s Ukrainian lawyer.
Following a decision by the court Belgian Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere (Flemish Christian democrat) ordered the authorities to issue a passport for the toddler. The Belgian Foreign Minister warned any other people who may be thinking on embarking on a similar adventure that there is no legal framework for such cases and told them to think twice.
The Belgian gay couple is not welcome in Ukraine. They will have to send somebody else to the former Soviet Republic to pick up the lad.
The Belgian Foreign Ministry has issued a Belgian passport for Samuel, a two-year old boy from Ukraine, who is being adopted by a Belgian gay couple. Samuel's prospective adoptive parents are convinced that the boy could be in Belgium within days.
The two year old is currently staying in an orphanage in Ukraine. His plight came to public attention when the VRT News programme "Koppen" reported on his story.
One of the gay men is Samuel's natural father. The toddler was born after a Ukrainian woman was inseminated using the Belgian's sperm. The adoption got into trouble due to legal problems and Samuel first ended up in a Ukrainian orphanage. He is now living with the gay couple’s Ukrainian lawyer.
Following a decision by the court Belgian Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere (Flemish Christian democrat) ordered the authorities to issue a passport for the toddler. The Belgian Foreign Minister warned any other people who may be thinking on embarking on a similar adventure that there is no legal framework for such cases and told them to think twice.
The Belgian gay couple is not welcome in Ukraine. They will have to send somebody else to the former Soviet Republic to pick up the lad.
