Right-wing politician, businessman Vasadze urges gov’t to cancel Tbilisi pride events
Right-wing businessman and politician Levan Vasadze has warned the government of destabilisation if Tbilisi Pride events take place in July. Photo: RFE/RL.
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Right-wing businessman Levan Vasadze, who has recently founded political movement Unity, Essence, Hope, has urged the government to cancel Tbilisi Pride events between 1-5 July.
Vasadze says that the events, which aim to boost the public’s awareness of LGBT issues, will lead to destabilisation like in previous years.
We give time to the government until June 25 to cancel the events, otherwise people will react to the government’s decision,” Vasadze said.
He stated that Tbilisi Pride events and march on Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi on July 5 will not take place anyway because people will gather there and will not allow the ‘anti-Christian and anti-Georgian’ activities.
Through the cancellation of the events the government will prevent destabilisation,” Vasadze said.
???? #TbilisiPride2021 will take place during 1-5 July, consisting of events, including: Queer Fest and March for Dignity.
— Tbilisi Pride (@TbilisiPride) June 4, 2021
❗On 5th of July we march for #Solidarity with partner social movements.
✊ Our #Pride is political and we need international solidarity as well. Join us! pic.twitter.com/Rle1zCGqfC
Tbilisi Pride activists say that during the events they will demand the implementation of a human-oriented policy by the government, fulfilment of all international obligations to ensure the environment free from homophobia and discrimination, to investigate hate crimes and ensure the safety and freedom of expression of each citizen of the country.
In response to Vasadze’s ‘ultimatum to the government’ they said that ‘it is the government to blame that Vasadze continues to make such homophobic statements.'
Tbilisi Pride says that the country’s government and law enforcement agencies ‘never react appropriately’ to the violations committed by Vasadze and ‘other homophobes.’
Georgian law enforcers have detained an individual, identified only as L.K. (born in 1990), for gender-based violence in Tbilisi, reports the press office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Ultranationalist businessman Levan Vasadze, who has actively participated in anti-LGBT campaigns in recent years, has announced his plans earlier today to enter politics.
Ambassadors of the EU, US, UK and UN, in addition to other high-ranking foreign officials, have ‘welcomed the efforts’ undertaken by the Georgian government to help the LGBTQI+ community and other vulnerable and marginalised groups 'weather the pandemic', urging them ‘to heed their voices and address their needs without bias or discrimination’.
Turmoil around the first Tbilisi Pride - a week-long event dedicated to the rights of LGBT individuals - continues as organisers decided yesterday to hold the events despite threats coming from nationalist groups. the organisers said earlier today that LGBT march will not be held on the central streets of Tbilisi.
The head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze says that the organisers of Tbilisi Pride should not have planned the events 'considering the current situation in the country and the context.’
Protecting participants of events of the upcoming Tbilisi Pride is a direct responsibility of the government, a statement from Droa! political movement said on Friday, with the organisation calling comments by Georgian Dream party head Irakli Kobakhidze about the planned occasion "dangerous".
Civic platforms No to Phobia, Coalition for Equality and other civic organisations have responded to statements by Irakli Kobakhidze, the chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party and David Sergeenko, member of the same party, which concern the pride parade planned by Tbilisi Pride and partner organisations to take place on July 5.
Thirty MEPs have called for the Georgian Interior Ministry to ensure ‘sufficient and effective protection’ of Tbilisi Pride participants between 1-5 July.
The Georgian patriarchate has called on thirty members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and diplomats in Georgia to refrain from supporting and encouraging Tbilisi Pride. Tbilisi Pride, a civic movement which opposes homo/transphobia and fights to overcome it through exercising the constitutional right of assembly and manifestation, has scheduled events for July 1-5.
The diplomatic corps and international organisations have express their solidarity with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) individuals 'in support of equality and human rights for everyone in Georgia'.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has stated that the participants of Tbilisi Pride should use their constitutional right to free expression within the law. Zurabishvili said that violence and the use of hate speech is unacceptable in the country, which ‘has always been distinguished’ by its tolerance. Tbilisi Pride events, which aim to boost the public’s awareness of problems and needs of the LGBT community, begin today and are scheduled to be completed by a march in central Tbilisi on July 5.
Right-wing businessman Levan Vasadze, who founded political movement Unity, Essence, Hope earlier in May, has blamed US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan for the death of TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, who had been previously beaten up by the right-wing counter protesters of the Tbilisi Pride march.
Georgian right-wing politician and businessman Levan Vasadze, who entered politics earlier this year and founded the Unity, Essence, Hope political movement back in May 2021, says that he could be poisoned for his political views and his recent diagnoses, multiple myeloma, could be connected with radiation poisoning.