The Lithuanian parliament will vote today on legislation that will ban gay pride events.

The new proposal will prohibit speeches, posters, audiovisual materials, and any other means of organising support for LGBT rights. Lawmaker Petras Gražulis says that the law will specifically target “events such as gay pride march and parades.” Those found guilty could face hefty fines of up to the equivalent of €1800.

He added that the bill is necessary because of  the “current weaknesses of the Lithuanian legal system, when promotion of the harmonious, traditional family values is often estimated as unfounded and illegal discrimination against sexual minorities for their sexual orientation.”

This proposal is one of several bills targeting LGBT people that will be voted on by the parliament in the coming months. Another proposal, if voted in, will ban adoptions by same-sex couples, while another will outlaw gender reassignment surgery.

Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius, of the Lithuanian Gay League, says that the new proposal is in retaliation to an organised gay pride parade in Vilnius last July.

“Because of European pressure, we managed to have pride go down our centre of our capital city,” he said.

“Homophobes were really frustrated because they could not stop it.”

The proposed legislation will be voted on later today.