In the first reading, the Parliament adopted with 78 votes the homophobic legislative package initiated by Georgian Dream, which imposes censorship and restricts the rights of LGBT people.
The mentioned legislative package is a continuation of the constitutional changes initiated by the Georgian Dream, by which the ruling party claims to fight against “LGBT propaganda”, but in reality it restricts the rights of the LGBT community, as well as imposes censorship. The Venice Commission prepared a critical report on the mentioned constitutional changes, which notes that the changes will incite hostility towards LGBT people.
The issue was discussed at the plenary session yesterday, and voting took place today. 78 MPs supported the package.
Deputies also voted for the draft of the Organic Law of Georgia based on the draft Law of Georgia “On Family Values and Protection of Minors” – “On Amendments to the Organic Law “Labor Code of Georgia”. 78 MPs also voted in favor of it.
Only Girchi from the opposition took part in yesterday’s discussion. Rati Yonatamishvili, the member of the majority, presented the amendments to the deputies, and before that, the chairman of the parliament and the chairman of the commission for the general public review of the constitutional amendment, Shalva Papuashvili, introduced the results of the public review to his colleagues.
For information, the legislative package consists of 19 bills. The main one of them is the project called “On Family Values and Protection of Minors”, and the rest 18 are projects derived from it.
The author and initiators of the legislative package are the Chairman of the Parliament Shalva Papuashvili and members of the majority: Mamuka Mdinaradze, Anri Okhanashvili, Rati Yonatamishvili, Maka Bochorishvili, Davit Matikashvili, Tengiz Sharmanashvili, Irakli Shatakishvili and Sozar Subari.
Based on the majority’s explanation, the purpose of initiating the draft law is to strengthen family values based on the union of men and women and mechanisms for the protection of minors. The legislative package provides for the establishment of a number of prohibitions and restrictions.
