The head of European diplomacy Josep Borel today called on Georgia to repeal the law limiting the rights of the LGBT+ community – a text that “distances even more” the EU country, reports France Press, quoted by BTA.
This law “will undermine fundamental rights and increase discrimination and stigmatization”, the Spanish MEP emphasized on the social network “X“ (formerly “Twitter”) a day after the final adoption of the law by the Georgian parliament.
Tbilisi legislature yesterday approved a bill on “family values” condemned by the EU and human rights organizations as restrictive to the rights of the LGBT+ community.
The new law, similar to the one in force in Russia, was adopted by the deputies of the ruling party “Georgian Dream” during a vote boycotted by the opposition amid a conservative and anti-Western turn by the government.
Approval of the law by the Georgian parliament could heighten tensions in the country ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26.
The opposition in Tbilisi accuses “Georgian Dream” of seeking rapprochement with Moscow, thus putting the country's expected accession to the EU at risk.
In December 2023, Georgia received the status of a candidate country for EU membership, but accession negotiations have not yet begun. The country also hopes to join NATO, notes AFP.
However, the EU leaders decided “de facto“ to freeze the accession process pending changes in Tbilisi's policy.
The party “Georgian Dream“ in turn, accuses the West of undermining “traditional values” – an expression that is also often used by Russian President Vladimir Putin.