The Parliament of Georgia plans to pass a law to protect national values, announced Archil Gorduladze, Chairman of the Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee, as reported by Publika.ge.
On August 7, he met with members of an initiative group—actor Giorgi Shanidze, director Giorgi Sikharulidze, and director of the Batumi Theatre Kote Mzhavia.
After the meeting, speaking on the pro-government TV channel Imedi, he stated that he had consulted with Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, and that they are beginning work on a legislative package.
According to Gorduladze, this package “will be submitted to parliament and passed during the autumn session”:
“For decades, individuals who incite this confrontation have been purposefully funded, directed, and praised from abroad. In particular, the Georgian Church is under attack, and attempts are being made to sow discord between representatives of various religious denominations…
We have communicated and consulted with the Chairman of Parliament and the Prime Minister of Georgia, and we are beginning work to address this issue at the legislative level. A corresponding package of amendments will be prepared and made public once the relevant consultations are concluded.”
Shanidze, Sikharulidze, and Mzhavia announced the creation of the initiative group for the “protection of national values” on July 3. Earlier, MMA fighter Giorgi Kartvelishvili voiced similar rhetoric; he has already registered an organization called “National Generation” in the state registry.
At the same time, back in 2024, members of the ruling Georgian Dream party stated their intention to draft a legislative initiative penalizing the insulting of religious feelings. However, no legislative steps were taken at that time.
