The European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell urged Georgian authorities on Wednesday to revoke a law concerning a ban on LGBT propaganda and gender reassignment, which he claimed further throws the country off the EU path, Euractiv reports.
“I call on Georgia to withdraw this legislation, further derailing the country from its EU path,” the European Union’s foreign policy chief posted on X, saying the bill adopted by Georgia’s parliament would “increase discrimination & stigmatisation.”
On Tuesday, Georgian lawmakers approved in the third and final reading a law on “family values and protection of minors” that will impose radical restrictions on LGBT rights.
The bill would give authorities a legal basis to ban Pride marches and public demonstrations of the LGBT rainbow flag, as well as impose censorship on films and books.
Leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party say the bill is necessary to protect traditional moral norms in Georgia, where the deeply conservative Orthodox Church wields great influence.
Activists said the measure was aimed at boosting conservative support for the government ahead of parliamentary elections on October 26 in Georgia, a country that has ambitions to join the EU but Western governments fear it is now tilting back towards Russia.
Tamara Jakeli, director of campaign group Tbilisi Pride, said the bill, which also reaffirms the existing ban on same-sex marriage and bans sex change operations, was likely to force her organisation to close its doors. she also added:
“This law is the most terrible thing to happen to the LGBT community in Georgia. We will most likely have to shut down. There is no way for us to continue functioning.”
LGBT rights issue is a complicated topic in Georgia, where polls show widespread disapproval of same-sex relationships and the constitution bans same-sex marriage. In recent years, participants in Tbilisi’s annual pride marches have been physically attacked by anti-LGBT demonstrators.
