President signs law against queer visibility in schools
Bulgaria's President signs a law that declares queer topics in schools to be "propaganda".
On 15 August 2024, the Bulgarian President Rumen Radev signed a law banning any "propaganda, promotion or incitement" in and around schools of ideas about "non-traditional sexual orientation" and of a gender identity differing from the biological one. The Bulgarian parliament had already passed the corresponding amendment to the Pre-school and School Education Act within a single day on 7 August, and a supplementary definition of the term "non-traditional sexual orientation" followed on the same day. The bill had been introduced by the pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane (Revival) and was also supported by parts of the pro-European parliamentary groups.
The vague wording in particular was criticised: even before the vote, the Bulgarian Ministry of Education warned that the lack of clarity would lead to arbitrary application, and the children's rights network NMD spoke of a provision that could be interpreted at will. Hundreds of academics and civil society organisations appealed to Radev in an open letter to use his veto, but he signed nonetheless, while human rights groups protested outside parliament.
The law was published in the Bulgarian State Gazette on 16 August. Observers compared the provision with similar "propaganda" laws in Russia and Hungary, which have restricted queer visibility in education there for years. A gay teacher from Sofia told Radio Free Europe of his concern that the law would further legitimise bullying of queer pupils.