17th Annual Sofia Pride Set for June 22: Spotlight on Inclusion
Mark your calendars as Sofia Pride, the largest LGBTQ+ event in Bulgaria, is gearing up for its 17th consecutive year on June 22
Malta's parliament voted on Wednesday to allow same-sex couples to marry, three years after passing a law permitting civil partnerships in the overwhelmingly Catholic country, reported the Telegraph.uk.co
Lawmakers gave near-unanimous approval to the bill, which represents a major step for LGBT rights on the island, which legalised divorce only in 2011 and where abortion is outlawed.
Malta, the EU's smallest nation, becomes the bloc's 15th member to legalise same-sex unions.
The vote was one of prime minister Joseph Muscat's first actions following his election victory last month.
"It's a historic vote. This shows that our democracy and society have reached a level of maturity and we can now say that we are all equal," he said after the text was passed.
The Catholic church was solidly opposed to the bill but gay rights activists on Wednesday hailed the result, rallying outside the premier's office in downtown Valetta.
The facade of the building was lit in rainbow colours and the slogan: "We've made history".
All but one lawmaker supported the new law, which will now open the door for same-sex couples to adopt. Previously this was possible only if one person applied rather than as a couple.
Though Malta scores relatively well in European-wide freedom indexes, society in the tiny Mediterranean island is still influenced by religion.
A major bone of contention ahead of the vote was a change in legal jargon to replace terms such as husband, wife, mother and father with more gender-neutral phrasing such as partner or parent.
On Tuesday evening, opponents of the measure held a silent vigil outside parliament, but Wednesday's vote was hailed by many commenters on social media.
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Overnight, the precipitation zone will gradually shift eastward, with significant amounts expected in parts of Central and Eastern Bulgaria, accompanied by thunderstorms
Architects Martin Hristov and Galina Baleva, who have crafted the design, revealed that a novel central bus station in Varna is scheduled to be inaugurated in late May
Romanian media outlets have reported that storm "Renata" has made landfall in Romania, bringing with it strong winds and heavy precipitation. Following two weeks of record high temperatures, the mercury has plummeted by 15-20 degrees Celsius, as reported
Excitement is brewing among fans of the magical world as actor and comedian Dan Fogler, renowned for his roles in the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise, gears up to visit Bulgaria for the Aniventure Comic Con festival on July 6 and 7
Bulgaria will soon be celebrated in the heart of British Columbia and the city of Vancouver as May 24 is set to be declared Bulgaria Day, announced Velislava Panova, Consul General of Bulgaria in Toronto, to the BNR.
The concluded winter presented unusually elevated temperatures and a 'milder' heating season for thousands of Bulgarians
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022