The law on Family Values and Protection of Minors is a positive step forward, according to the Georgian Patriarchate. The Church released a statement on Friday and expressed hope that this law will yield fruitful results for the well-being of society.
“In today’s Georgia, as in many countries around the world, the protection of family values has become a significant challenge. Over the years, both the Patriarchate and the majority of the population have voiced their concerns about this issue, all aimed at safeguarding family values in the face of growing challenges,” the statement noted.
The Patriarchate stated that the Georgian Church has consistently defended its youth against ideologies that undermine traditional family structures.
The statement also noted that a few years ago, the school textbooks for students and teachers drew sharp and justified criticism from the Georgian Patriarchate because some topics in these textbooks openly undermined family values.
“It required extensive and active efforts to remove passages containing LGBTQI propaganda from educational resources, as educational materials needed to align with the country’s fundamental values,” the Patriarchate explained.
Moreover, it added that the „spread of LGBTQI propaganda has repeatedly caused significant social divisions and has even been used as a tool for deepening polarization among those advocating for such divisions.” Therefore, the Patriarchate welcomed the adoption of the new law.
“We hope this law will yield fruitful results for our society’s well-being, as it is a significant and decisive step in protecting the traditional values that define the identity of the Georgian people,” the statement said.
The ruling party, Georgian Dream, has enacted the law on Family Values and Protection of Minors, which is now in effect. It introduces significant changes to 18 existing laws, including the Law on Freedom of Speech and Expression. The legislation imposes new restrictions on public speech and expression that could be interpreted as promoting sexual orientation differing from one’s biological sex, same-sex relationships, or incest.
