EU "Deplores" advance of anti-LGBT legislation in Georgia

ArmInfo.On September 4, the European Union issued a statement deploring "the rushed adoption, in second reading" of the anti-LGBT legislative package titled "On family values and protection of minors," saying the package "undermines the fundamental rights of Georgian people and risks further stigmatization and discrimination of part of the population."

The EU noted that such a proposal together with the restrictions on  the civil society imposed by the Foreign Agents Law "will place  further strain" on the EU's relations with Georgia.

On September 4, the Parliament of Georgia adopted this controversial  legislation in the second plenary hearing, with 81 votes in favor,  and 0 against. The ruling party plans to adopt the legislation in the  third hearing in September, weeks before the crucial Parliamentary  elections on October 26. The ruling party has made homophobia one of  its campaign pillars.

The EU noted that this legislation has "important repercussions on  the EU integration path" and "regrets" that it passed "without due  public consultations and a thorough analysis of its compliance with  European and international standards."

The EU stressed that "ensuring and upholding human rights is at the  core of the enlargement process, annually assessed within the  European Commission's enlargement report" and calls on the Georgian  government to "entirely reconsider" the package.

"The EU recalls that Georgia's accession process is de-facto halted  and urges the authorities to recommit to the EU integration path,"  the statement concludes.