The Georgian legislative assembly endorses legislation restricting the liberties of the LGBTQ community.
The proposed law would offer authorities the authority to abolish Pride events and public showcasing of the LGBTQ community's rainbow flag, as well as implement censorship on films and literature.
Representatives of the controlling Georgian Dream party argue that this measure is essential to uphold traditional values in Georgia, a nation heavily influenced by its Orthodox Church, which maintains a significant role.
Critics claim that the bill is merely an attempt to garner conservative support for the government before the parliamentary election on October 26 in this EuropeanUnion-aspiring country, which officials from Western governments believe is now gravitating towards Russia.
Tamara Jakeli, director of the Tbilisi Pride campaign group, stated that the bill, which reaffirms the existing prohibition of same-sex marriages and prohibits gender reassignment surgeries, would likely force her organization to cease operations.
"This law is the worst event to impact the LGBTQ community in Georgia," Jakeli, 28, revealed to Reuters. "It looks like we'll have to shut down. There's no way for us to continue functioning."
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, a critic of Georgian Dream and whose powers primarily consist of ceremonial duties, has indicated an intent to veto the bill. However, Georgian Dream and its allies possess sufficient parliamentary seats to override her veto.
LGBTQ rights are a contentious issue in Georgia, where majorities display disapproval of same-sex relationships, and the constitution prohibits same-sex marriages. Participants in Tbilisi's annual Pride marches have faced physical assaults by anti-LGBTQ groups in recent years.
Foreign Influence
This topic has gained prominence heading to October's election, in which Georgian Dream seeks a fourth term and intensely opposes LGBTQ rights.
The ruling party, whose prime ministerial candidate for the election is billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, has strengthened connections with neighboring Russia as relations with Western countries have deteriorated.
Earlier this year, they enacted a "foreign agents" law criticized by the European Union and the United States as authoritarian and reminiscent of Russian influence. Its passage led to some of the most substantial protests Georgia has experienced since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Surveys indicate that the party, which in 2014 implemented a law prohibiting LGBTQ discrimination before subsequently shifting towards more conservative positions, is Georgia's most popular, although it has lost support since 2020, when it secured a narrow parliamentary majority.
In one of Georgian Dream's campaign advertisements aired on local television, Tbilisi Pride director Jakeli's face appears alongside the words: "No to moral decline."
Jakeli asserted that the bill could only be halted if Georgian Dream were to lose power in October, though she also mentioned that the country's opposition parties have yet to clearly express support for LGBTQ rights.
"The only way for us to survive in this country and make headway in LGBTQ rights is for us to show up in large numbers for the elections and vote for change," she concluded.
This controversial bill, if passed, could potentially harm Georgia's standing in the international community, given that Europe is known for its strong advocacy for LGBTQ rights worldwide.
In light of the global stage, it's essential to consider how such a decision might impact Europe's view of Georgia as a potential EU member and its relations with the world at large.
