Ruling party initiates constitutional amendment to “protect family values”

The ruling Georgian Dream party on Monday initiated a broad constitutional amendment to “protect family values” ahead of introduction of “several dozen” specific bills “in the near future”.

Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the party in the Parliament, said it was the ruling team’s “responsibility” to protect constitutional rights and freedoms “no matter how unconventional and different their lifestyle may be”, while also “protecting family values in a very principled way”.

“We have decided to initiate, first of all, constitutional amendments, which will clearly state the guarantees of family values and the protection of minors, after which, in the near future, we will also initiate corresponding and more specific amendments to the laws, which include several dozen laws”, Mdinaradze said.

The amendments to the legislation [...] will be in full compliance with the current constitution of Georgia. However, in the future, we will initiate constitutional amendments for a firm implementation of the mentioned goals in a long-term perspective”, he added.

The changes follow Mdinaradze’s comments in early March, when he said the parliamentary majority would present a legislative initiative to “protect the public from pseudo-liberal ideology”.

He said the bill would “fully respect the principles and norms outlined in the constitution”, adding “the rights of each of our citizens must be and will be protected fundamentally, regardless of their mode of life”, but also claimed the need for the changes.