Georgian government crackdown on 'LGBTQ+ propaganda' risks EU aspirations
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/georgian-government-crackdown-on-lgbtq-propaganda-risks-eu-aspirations/ar-BB1kzcXY?ocid=windirect&cvid=575727fa537f4f378bd159bc752e61b2&ei=237
By Tornike Mandaria (26 March 2024)
As Georgia heads for parliamentary elections in October, with bread and butter issues topmost in voters' minds, the government has announced a Russian-style plan to ban what it describes as LGBTQ+ 'propaganda'.
The Constitutional Law on Family Values and Protection of Minors aims to ban same-sex or non-heterosexual child adoption, sex change surgery, and any educational programmes or promotions that 'popularise' same-sex families or relationships.
Mdinaradze also hinted at the possibility of banning Pride events, stating that if judged as promotion, a Pride festival would be prohibited.
The ruling party lacks the necessary votes (113) to pass the constitutional amendments, holding only 82 of 150 seats in parliament.
Tbilisi Pride, the LGBTQ+ rights organization, called the proposed bill 'homophobic' in a Facebook post.
Constitutional expert Vakhushti Menabde said the ruling party itself admitted that their initiative is against the current constitution.
The Georgian Constitution upholds the equality of all and prohibits persecution based on one's opinions and expressions.
According to Menabde, the government lacks the ability to address real issues in the country, such as halting emigration, improving the quality of education, combating poverty, and eliminating economic inequality, so instead has chosen to target phantom concerns.