The Georgian parliament has approved the third and final reading of the law on "family values and protection of minors" that would limit the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, reports Reuters.
The law would provide a legal basis for authorities to ban events and the public display of LGBTQ+ symbols, and would also allow censorship of films and books.
Leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party say it is necessary to preserve "traditional and moral standards" in Georgia, where the Orthodox Church is very influential.
Activists say the measure is aimed at boosting conservative support for the government ahead of parliamentary elections on October 26.
Georgia has ambitions to join the European Union, but Western governments fear that Tbilisi is leaning more towards Russia.
Tamara Jakeli, director of the Tbilisi Pride organization, said the draft law, which reiterates the existing ban on same-sex marriage and bans gender reassignment surgery, is likely to force her organization to close.
"This bill is the most terrible thing that has happened to the LGBTQ+ community in Georgia. We will most likely have to close down. There is no way we can continue to operate," Jakeli said.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who is an opponent of the ruling party and whose powers are largely ceremonial, said she would block the bill.
However, Georgian Dream and their allies in the parliament have a majority, with which they can override her veto.
LGBTQ+ rights are a controversial topic in Georgia, where polls show widespread disapproval of same-sex relationships and the constitution bans same-sex marriage.
Pride parade participants in Tbilisi have been subjected to physical attacks by anti-LGBT protesters in recent years.
The issue has become "louder" ahead of the October elections, in which Georgian Dream is seeking a fourth term in office and is running a fierce campaign against LGBTQ+ rights.
The ruling party, whose main candidate for the election is billionaire former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, has deepened ties with neighboring Russia after relations with Western countries deteriorated.
Earlier this year, the government passed a "foreign agents" law that European and US officials said was authoritarian and inspired by a similar law in Russia.
Its adoption caused one of the biggest protests in Georgia since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
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