This text, inspired by a Hungarian law, makes illegal the “encouragement” of a “non-traditional sexual orientation” and a gender identity “different from biological”.
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Bulgarian President Rumen Radev signed a decree on Thursday, August 15, enabling a controversial law against “LGBT+ propaganda” to come into force. On August 7, the Bulgarian Parliament adopted by a large majority this new legislation, copied from those of Hungary and Russia, which prohibits schools “to encourage” sexual orientation “non-traditional” and gender identity “different from biological”.
This new amendment had provoked numerous protests: 70 Bulgarian NGOs asked the head of state to use his right of veto to prevent its implementation and 6,000 people signed a petition. Two demonstrations, each bringing together around 200 people, had been organised and a new rally is planned for Thursday evening in Sofia against this text, considered by its opponents to be contrary to the law of the European Union (EU), of which Bulgaria is a member.
By ratifying the text, the elected official close to Moscow thus ignored a request for a veto from the Council of Europe. The institution’s human rights commissioner said: “deeply concerned” and had called Roumen Radev to “do not sign” the law, demanding that the authorities of this Balkan country “tackle discrimination and hostile rhetoric towards LGBT+ people, including in the run-up to elections”.
He was referring to the ongoing election campaign in Bulgaria, which is going through a serious political crisis. Too divided to find a majority to form a stable government, the country is holding its seventh legislative elections this fall since 2021.
