Tougher than the Russians :P
In the wake of Sofia Pride, the Bulgarian nationalist party Ataka (yes, Attack) proposed a bill in Parliament. Here is the full text on the Parliament's site in case somebody who is reading this understands Bulgarian. It's not the best Bulgarian, by the way, but they wouldn't be such patriots if they had an excellent command of their own language. :P
So, they propose the addition of a new article to the Penal Code (translation mine):
Whoever publicly manifests their or somebody else’s homosexual orientation or identity by organization of or participation in rallies, marches or parades, or via the mass media or the Internet, shall be punished by imprisonment for one to five years and a fine of five thousand to ten thousand BGN.
This is no administrative offence for you. Beat that, Russian legislators!
On a more serious note, I don't believe this bill has any chance of actually becoming law in Bulgaria (we are in the European Union after all), but I have no doubt that it was inspired by the Russian law against "propaganda of homosexuality". We are still too close to being part of the post-Soviet space for comfort.
The motivation for this wonderful piece of proposed legislation is such a masterpiece that I couldn't resist translating it. Enjoy!
On 21 September this year, under dictation from abroad, various gay organizations and lobbyist groups plan to hold their sixth gay parade in Bulgaria. This ugly phenomenon, alien to our national traditions and morals, took place for the first time in 2008 and since then has been held without any adequate resistance from the state institutions. Each year before and during the so-called "march for gay rights," the Bulgarian society is deeply scandalized by the behaviour of the organizers and participants in it, who demonstrate in the streets of Sofia flagrant debauchery, sexual perversion and moral laxity. Against this background, no less concerning are the ideas that gay activists promote to the public, such as the legalization of marriages between same-sex couples and adoption of children by same.
Throughout those years, since 2008, a number of citizens’ associations, patriotic organizations, parents’ unions, as well as the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, have expressed their indignant reaction against this phenomenon and have warned of the dangers it presents. There have been numerous information campaigns and other events, which received support from the entire society, and a petition against the gay parade was held this year, which gathered the signatures of tens of thousands of citizens.
It is important to note that the tradition of this type of antisocial behaviour dates back to 28 June 1969, when the so-called Stonewall riots erupted in New York's Greenwich Village. These were a series of violent clashes between homosexuals and New York police officers, which lasted several days and ended with dozens of injured law enforcement officers. The Stonewall riots were the event that inspires the organizers of the above mentioned gay parade, both abroad and at home.
All of that leads us to believe that this event and the like are not just a threat to the traditional Bulgarian values and an attack on public morality, but also constitute a public incitement to vandalism and antisocial acts.
We believe that the proposed amendment meets the public expectations of defence of the family model and morality which are traditional for our country, as well as protection of the civil peace and public safety.
... And I went to Pride and somehow missed all the debauchery, go figure! :P