EU puts pressure on Georgia after passing law restricting LGBT rights
The European Union is stepping up pressure on Georgia after it passed a law deemed discriminatory against the LGBT+ community. EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell has strongly urged Tbilisi to reverse the bill, which he said "further distances" Georgia from its EU membership process.
The legislation, passed by the Georgian parliament on Tuesday and supported by the ruling Georgian Dream party, is billed as aiming to protect “family values”. However, it has been criticised by the EU and human rights groups, who say it will undermine the fundamental rights of LGBT+ people and reinforce stigma. The Georgian opposition, boycotting the vote, accused the government of turning away from the West by moving closer to Russia’s conservative and homophobic positions.
A bill inspired by Russia
The legislation is widely seen as an echo of anti-LGBT+ laws passed in Russia. It restricts the dissemination of content deemed favorable to homosexuality, bans rallies in support of LGBT+ rights, and limits the portrayal of same-sex relationships in the media and schools.
The law comes at a critical time for Georgia, with parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26. The debate over the legislation has rekindled internal tensions, with the opposition denouncing a drift towards authoritarianism and a move away from its goals of EU and NATO membership.
In addition to the EU, the United States has also expressed concern. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has criticised “human rights violations” in Georgia, while Washington has imposed sanctions on around 60 Georgian officials, accused of undermining democracy in their country. Germany has also called for the text to be scrapped, saying it “further alienates” Georgia from Europe.
While Georgia had hoped to begin EU accession negotiations, the law could jeopardise its European ambitions, as the country is now seen as taking a conservative and anti-Western political turn.
An uncertain future
Georgia's future on the international stage seems uncertain, especially since the law comes after a series of other controversial measures, such as the "foreign influence" bill adopted in May. The EU has already effectively suspended the country's accession process, pending a change in political direction. Observers say the new legislation risks further fueling instability in the country ahead of parliamentary elections.
Georgia thus finds itself at a crossroads, torn between its aspiration to join the EU and the conservative influences advocated by its government, which is increasingly close to Russian positions on social issues.
