Last week, the Bulgarian parliament adopted an amendment to the law on teaching in kindergartens and schools, which prohibits “the popularization of ideas and views related to non-traditional sexual orientation.”
Unsolicited instructions from the UN
Following the adoption of the law, Bulgarian authorities have come under pressure from the UN Human Rights Office and the European Union to change their national laws.
Liz Throssell, a spokeswoman for the United Nations human rights office, demanded that Sofia “reconsider the bill in light of the country’s international human rights obligations.” As he argues, “Addressing stigma and misinformation is key to building accepting, tolerant and inclusive societies.”
The European Commission is already intervening
The European Union also spoke on the matter, although the Bulgarian authorities did not listen to it. The instigators are complaining LGBT activists are calling for intervention from Brussels and presenting a narrative of Russian-inspired regulations. Rémy Bonny, director of the LGBT group “Forbidden Colours”, demands that “the European Commission take action” and “hold Bulgaria accountable”. The activist called on European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen and Equality Commissioner Helena Tully to intervene.
In response, on August 13, the European Commission sent a letter to Bulgaria’s Minister of Education and Science, Kalin Soko, “requesting further information on the law”. “In line with the November 2020 LGBTIQ Equality Strategy, the Commission remains firm in its commitment to tackling discrimination, inequality and challenges faced by LGBTIQ people, including in education.” – was written in the letter.
Ban on LGBT propaganda in Bulgaria
The Bulgarian president announced that he would not veto the bill. That is, there will be a total ban on local kindergartens and schools “in any way promoting ideas and views related to non-traditional sexual orientation or defining a gender identity other than a biological one.”
The following MPs voted for the amendment: the right-wing Vasrastan Party, the left-wing BSP, the Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the Jest Talki Narod Formation and part of the centre-right GERB. We continue the transition – the entire club of the centrist coalition – Democratic Bulgaria voted against it. Federation supporters staged a demonstration in front of Parliament on Wednesday evening against the passed amendment. According to them, this amendment will make it impossible to “combat the harassment of young lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people in schools”.
In 2023, Bulgaria’s Supreme Court ruled that “gender reassignment” through legal proceedings was unacceptable under the current legal status. The Bulgarian Supreme Court asserted that “gender is recognized at birth and determines a person until death.”
Changes in Georgia as well
In late June, the parliament of another European country, Georgia, approved in first reading a set of laws banning LGBT propaganda proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party. The second and third readings will take place during the fall parliamentary session, immediately before the election scheduled for October 26.
The law is meant to prevent homosexuals from adopting children. Public gatherings promoting same-sex relationships will also be banned. This includes: For displaying LGBT rainbow flags in public.
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