Sofia, 8 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) - The Bulgarian government on Wednesday banned non-heterosexual messages in schools, following the lead of Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Under a new law, any promotion or encouragement related to "non-traditional sexual orientation" or gender self-determination, which differs from birth gender, is banned in preschools and schools.

Similar restrictions exist in the EU member states of Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Outside of the EU, the rights of LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and the wider queer community) people also face severe limitations, as seen in Russia.

The amendment to the law, which was introduced by the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane party, had been supported by members of parliament from various political groups, including the centre-right Gerb-SDS alliance, the populist ITN party, the Socialist party, and, in part, the DPS party, which represents the interests of the Turkish and other minorities.

However, the liberal-conservative PP-DB alliance largely voted against the amendment.

Members and supporters of the LGBT+ community protested against the amendment in front of the parliament building in Sofia on Wednesday evening. They expressed their refusal to remain silent by chanting and displaying placards with the message "Do not repeat the path of Russia."