A peaceful demonstration in support of the ratification of the so-called Istanbul Convention is being held on Thursday from 11 am to 2 pm before the National Assembly. The so-called Council of Europe's Istanbul Convention against Domestic Violence and Violence against Women has been the subject of political controversy in our country in recent weeks following VMRO's stance that the treaty in question creates preconditions for legalizing homosexual marriages, granting refugee status to "transvestites from Iran".

Subsequently, the BSP and the UDF declared themselves against the convention, arguing that the Convention contained controversial texts. 8 ministers voted against the convention at the government meeting, their main concern being the sex definition in the convention, according to which gender-specific are not the biological characteristics of man, but the socially-constructed roles that are considered appropriate for men and women. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Justice Ekaterina Zaharieva and Tsetska Tsacheva have explained that the Convention does not contradict the constitution but for some of the texts that are "incompatible" with the Bulgarian legislation will be made changes.

Demonstration before the National Assembly on Thursday - the day when all EU commissioners arrive here because of the opening of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU - is organized by the Alliance for Protection Against Gender-Based Violence - a union of organizations working for the rights of women and for their protection against gender-based violence, along with the Animus Association Foundation.

"We will express our support for the ratification of the Convention on Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, and we will object to MPs and parties that replace the meaning and text of the Convention and divert people's attention from the problem of violence against women, we want Bulgaria without violence, "the organizers say. The ratification of the Convention in the National Assembly is pending.