site.btaUPDATED Education Ministry Speaks Up for Teachers' Freedom after Nationalist Party Circulates List of Teachers Opposing "LGBTQ Propaganda Ban Law"

The Bulgarian teacher has always been free, open-minded and progressive, and this has made Bulgarian children and the Bulgarian nation free, the Education Ministry said in a statement put out Thursday. It was prompted by media reports that the local chapter of the nationalist Vazrazhdane party in the Black Sea city of Varna has published in the social media a list of teachers in the Black Sea city of Varna, who had signed a petition against a controversial "LGBT school propaganda ban law" adopted recently by the Bulgarian Parliament.

In a social media post, the said political party is quoted urging parents to demand explanations from the principals of schools "where the said gender ideology proponents parasitise". 

Also, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov told a news conference in Burgas that the party will submit an alert against those who have organized the petition.

It says further that no form of discrimination and repression against teachers, students and parents will be allowed in the Bulgarian education system. "As before, the Ministry of Education and Science and the institutions in the pre-school and school education system will defend the spirit of tolerance, anti-discrimination, Bulgarian traditions and common human values, as well as the policy of inclusion in Bulgarian schools. Education is a cause for our society that should unite us, not draw new dividing lines and conflicts," the Education Ministry said. 

Also on Thursday, the Varna District Prosecutor's Office said that they are looking into the matter after Vazrazhdane made public the names of teachers opposing the "LGBTQ propaganda ban". The Prosecutor's Office spokesperson, Radoslav Lazarov, said that their action was prompted by media reports, that the case file has already been assigned to a random prosecutor who will decide how to proceed.

In a social media post, Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev declared his support for the teachers and urged them not to be afraid. He also told them they can rely on the support of the local authorities. He said that he is holding talks with school principles and tells them to alert him of any case of outside pressure.

The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) said in a statement on their website that they offer free legal assistance to educators who have been harmed by the revisions in the law setting in place the ban on "propaganda of non-traditional sexuality", such harm being caused by actions of individuals and institutions. BHC also said that publishing the list of teachers violated the law and fundamental human rights. "Vazrazhdane clearly seeks to create an environment of division and harassment between parents and teachers, which harms students," BHC said.

In an official statement later on Thursday Continue the Change said that next week they will submit a bill to amend the controversial "definition" in the Pre-School and School Education Act. The statement read: The state cannot define what is traditional and what is not - more than 50% of Bulgarians live in a family without marriage and raise their children peacefully. Will they be next on lists of people who have 'non-traditional cohabitation?”

The adoption of the "LGBTQ propaganda ban" in early August caused a major controversy in Bulgaria. While it was backed in Parliament by a majority from all parties (except for Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria), it caused a wave of opposition. Protestors marched in Sofia on more than one evening as proponents of the ban marched in parallel events. The Bulgarian Church was happy with the adoption of the bill, too. Scores of educators have signed petitions against it. 7,000 people and 76 NGOs demanded that President Rumen Radev veto the ban but he refused to heed. Concern over the new Bulgarian legislation was expressed by the UN Human Rights Office and Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty.