PM: 90% of Georgians share “Christian values”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday said “90 percent of Georgians” shared “conservative views and family-based values”, in response to a question by a reporter on whether he represented a majority of the country’s citizens at an event marking the 78th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany.

At the celebration in Tbilisi’s Veterans Culture and Recreation Park, Garibashvili slammed the reporter for “distorting facts”, after the question had touched on his address at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Budapest last week, where he joined speakers in remarks on conservative cultural viewpoints.

The PM told the reporter he represented “both the minority and the majority” in the country, and noted his Government would not allow “violation of the minority’s rights by the majority and vice versa”.

None of the individuals face discrimination in the country. Rights of each of our citizens are protected by the constitution, by the law. We have ensured all guarantees [for protection of human rights in the country]”, Garibashvili said.  

However, he condemned “aggressive propaganda by [sexual] minorities”, and claimed 90 percent of Georgians shared “Christian values”.

Garibashvili also pointed to unspecified countries where younger generations were being “poisoned in kindergartens, schools and universities with this rampant propaganda”.

The PM also stressed the domestic authorities would “review cooperation” with unspecified groups that had criticised his comments on the subject at the Conference and  could “refuse cooperation” with the Government over its stance against “LGBT propaganda for children”.