Anti-discrimination law adopted with second hearing
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Parliament of Georgia has passed a bill to eliminate all forms of discrimination with 112 votes in favor and none against.
The second hearing of the controversial bill was preceeded by the demonstrations of clergy and parish as well as closed-door consultations in the Parliament with representatives of Patriarchate.
The explanatory note of the bill said the reason of its adoption was because of inefficiencies in existing anti-discrimination legislation. Georgia was also strongly encouraged to adopt the anti-discrimination law by the European Union.
The new law prohibits any form of discrimination and aimed to eliminate all forms of discrimination and enforce equality for all, no matter of race, colour, language, sex, nationality, origin, birth, place of residence, property or social status, religion or belief, national, ethnic or social origin, profession, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, political or other opinion.
The fifth clause of Article on harassment was removed from the draft law. The clause stated harassment should not exist in respect of people towards whom there is hostile, humiliating, intimidating, degrading or otherwise offensive environment.
Member of Parliament (MP) and Human Rights Position Eka Beselia said last night that the paragraph was too vague and allowed for various interpretations. Beselia said detriving from the foresee ability of law, some had an opinion that the law needed to change.
The third reading of the bill will be discussed at tomorrow's plenary session .
On April 17 Parliament of Georgia passed a Bill on the elimination of all forms of the discrimination and related sub-bills with 110 votes in favor and none against.
The anti-discrimination draft law has been discussed at the meeting betweem members of the Parliamentary majority and representatives of the Georgian Orthodox Church today in a bid to clarify misunderstandings surrounding the Bill.
Parliament Speaker Davit Usupashvili is appealing to the Georgian society not to yield certain groups of speculation regarding the heavily discussed anti-discrimination law.
Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili believes the anti-discrimination Bill, which is being strongly criticized by the Georgian Orthodox Church, will definitely be adopted. He explained the core essence of the law and said it would not encourage or allow any illegal activity.
Parliament has adopted the Anti-Discrimination Bill with 104 votes to one with its third and final hearing today, May 2.
The President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili signed the Anti-Discrimination law today.
The "Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination" legislation went into force after it has been published on the state online registry Legislative Herald of Georgia on May 7.
Georgia has scored highest in the Caucasus region and 22nd in Europe in the latest review of how lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people experience human rights across the continent by campaign group ILGA-Europe.