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Georgian authorities submit package of laws on banning LGBT propaganda to parliament

The package of bills includes a ban on any marriages other than those between a biological man and woman, as well as on the adoption of minors by homosexual couples or unmarried non-heterosexual persons

TBILISI, June 4. /TASS/. The ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party is submitting a package of bills on banning LGBT propaganda and gender reassignment to the parliament, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said.

"Today, the parliamentary majority is initiating a package of bills on Family Values and Protection of Minors, which consists of one main bill on Family Values and Protection of Minors and 18 related bills that amend various laws, civil code, labor code, education legislation and so on," Papuashvili said at the briefing.

The ruling party is planning to make relevant amendments to the constitution, he noted. On May 17, a specially created commission completed its work and held a nationwide discussion in various regions of Georgia. The amendments require a three-quarters vote in the parliament. It is not clear yet whether the opposition will support the ban on LGBT propaganda. However, the ruling party has enough votes in parliament to pass ordinary laws with a simple majority.

The package of bills includes a ban on any marriages other than those between a biological man and woman, as well as on the adoption of minors by homosexual couples or unmarried non-heterosexual persons. Sex reassignment surgery and changing official documents to indicate a sex different from the one assigned at birth would also be prohibited. In addition, LGBT propaganda and promoting incest at schools would be banned, and broadcasters would be prohibited from airing intimate same-sex scenes or advertising such content.

The amendments to the legislation prohibit public meetings or demonstrations aimed at promoting the LGBT movement. What’s more, companies would not be allowed to formalize any labor agreements that somehow omit the employee's biological sex. According to Papuashvili, May 17, which has been celebrated as Family Sanctity Day in Georgia for the last ten years, will be declared an official holiday, and people will get the day off.

The legislative amendments are scheduled to be passed in the first reading in June, and in the second and third readings during the fall session.

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