The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, has declined to sign the legislative package titled “On Family Values and Protection of Minors,” returning it to Parliament.
The package was submitted without accompanying remarks from the president, indicating that she neither endorsed nor vetoed the draft law.
In this situation, further discussions in Parliament are not necessary. Instead, the package will be signed by the Chairman of Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, who has a five-day deadline to do so.
For context, the newly adopted law addresses several key areas, including marriage, adoption, foster care, medical procedures that alter a person’s biological sex, the designation of gender in official documents, and education. It also regulates issues related to public demonstrations and labor relations. Additionally, the legislative package introduces enforcement mechanisms to ensure the law’s proper implementation.
Moreover, the bill establishes May 17 as a day dedicated to the sanctity of the family and respect for parents.
The law defines marriage as a voluntary union between two individuals of different biological sexes to create a family. It prohibits the recognition or registration of any other type of union as marriage under Georgian law.
The Georgian Dream faction initiated this legislative package on June 4.
