Ombudsman Launches Probe After Lawmaker's Slur Against Children with Genetic Disorders

Incident Involving Olena Chyrkova

According to Главком: During a budget committee meeting of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council, lawmaker Olena Chyrkova used a derogatory term when referring to children with genetic diseases. The remark was made during a discussion on additional funding for the P.M. Veropotvelian Interregional Center for Medical Genetics and Prenatal Diagnostics in Kryvyi Rih. She stated that the goal of state programs was 'so that we don't have 'debiloids' and others.' Such language is widely considered a deeply offensive slur against people with disabilities.

Reaction to the Remarks

Mykola Lukashuk, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council, condemned Chyrkova's statement, stressing the importance of respect for children and their parents.

This is a humiliation of human dignity. And it is a disgrace. There can only be one position here: respect for children, for parents, for the doctors who fight every day for the health and lives of young patients. No mandate, no position, and no emotions give anyone the right to say such things.

– emphasized Lukashuk.

As a result of the incident, he initiated a review of the situation by the commission on parliamentary ethics. The commission supported the initiative regarding funding for the Interregional Center for Genetics and Prenatal Diagnostics. Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets also responded by opening proceedings over the public humiliation of dignity.

I have decided to open proceedings regarding the public humiliation of the dignity of children. As the Ombudsman of Ukraine, I will take exhaustive measures to ensure competent authorities provide a legal assessment of the official's actions.

– stated Lubinets.

Lawmaker's Apology

Olena Chyrkova apologized for her words on social media, noting: 'This is my responsibility. I apologize to the parents, to the families who live with these trials every day, to the doctors who fight for the health of these children, and to everyone offended by my words. On such topics, there is no right to contempt. A public figure especially cannot allow themselves such things. I apologize once again.' Following the apology, she made her social media page private.

This incident underscores the critical importance of ethical responsibility for public officials in their statements concerning vulnerable groups like children with genetic disorders. The reaction from the public and officials demonstrates that such remarks cannot go unaddressed and that respect and dignity for all members of society must be ensured. The ongoing discussion by the ethics commission and the Ombudsman's proceedings highlight the seriousness of the situation and the potential consequences for individuals in public office.

The recent incident involving Olena Chyrkova has sparked a broader conversation about respect and inclusivity in public discourse. This is particularly relevant in light of another recent case where a healthcare professional at a clinic faced backlash for denying service based on language preferences. Such events highlight ongoing challenges in addressing discrimination within various sectors. For more on this issue, see how language barriers affect patient care in our coverage of the Dobrobut clinic incident.