Elton John: Unable to adopt Ukrainian orphan

Elton John: Unable to adopt Ukrainian orphan

Elton John might not be able adopt a Ukrainian orphan since the country's legal system only allows foreigners to adopt if they are married. On Monday the officials informed this to the reporters of a popular news agency.

Lyudmila Balym, an official at the ministry for family remarked that Sir Elton "does not have the right to do it because there are certain obstacles which cannot be overcome."

Ukrainian law stipulates that foreign adoptive parents must be married couples and homosexual marriage is not recognized in the country.

The British singer-songwriter married his long-time partner, David Furnish, in December 2005 in Britain where same-sex marriages are authorized.

Ukrainian law also said that the age difference between adoptive parents and the child must not exceed 45 years. Balym said that Sir Elton is sixty two and Furnish is forty seven that also fail to meet the criterion of child adoption.

Sir Elton said on Saturday he wanted to adopt a 14-month-old boy whom he had met in a Ukrainian orphanage, saying that the youngster called Lev had "stolen his heart".

He met the toddler while visiting the country with his AIDS charity foundation. He gave a performance for children at the orphanage, some of whose parents had died of the disease.

Sir Elton follows a long line of celebrities and pop stars looking overseas to adopt a child and he is not the first to find his private life a problem.

Sir Elton's adoption bid has already sparked heated debate in the young boy's homeland, with some expressing shock at the idea of allowing a child to live with a gay couple.

It is also reported that it will not be possible to confirm whether the toddler is HIV positive until he reaches the age of 18 months.

However others supported the idea and said it could give the youngster the chance of a better life.

"Why not? At least the child will have a normal life," added Lyudmila Batikhina, a medical assistant at the orphanage.

Ukraine has one of the fastest rising HIV rates in Europe.

Two years ago Sir Elton gave a free concert in the main square in Kiev attended by tens of thousands of people to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in the country.

The star has sold over 250 million records worldwide, with 29 consecutive Top 40 Hits and 35 gold and 25 platinum albums.