Ruslan Stefanchuk: Drafting a new Civil Code requires finding a compromise between the Church and the LGBT community

Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, provided an update on the progress of work on the draft of the new Civil Code, noting the need to reach a broad public consensus. The working group aims to take into account the positions of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (ACCRO) and representatives of the LGBT community as it prepares the document for the second reading.

According to Ruslan Stefanchuk, the priority for lawmakers remains not the speed of the document’s adoption, but its high quality. The speaker emphasized that the working group is currently conducting a detailed analysis of all proposals received, despite the significant volume of “spam” amendments. The goal is to create a balanced code that will ensure the interests of various social groups are respected.

Changes addressing issues of reproductive health, as well as the rights and interests of military personnel and representatives of the agricultural sector, are planned to be incorporated into the updated draft. Earlier, Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, noted that dialogue between religious organizations and human rights advocates is possible, especially in the context of Ukraine’s efforts to integrate into the European Union.

As a reminder, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, previously held a meeting with representatives of LGBT organizations to discuss possible changes to the draft of the new Civil Code. Activists stated the need to revise certain provisions of the document concerning the definition of family and proposed enshrining in law provisions related to the protection of the rights of the LGBT community.