Georgian Patriarchate official: EU’s position on Georgian Orthodox Church changed in 2019 as LGBT pride issue emerged

Archpriest Andria Jaghmaidze, the Head of the Georgian Patriarchate’s Public Relations Service, on Sunday said in an exclusive interview with Imedi TV that the European Union’s attitude toward the Georgian Orthodox Church changed in 2019, when attempts emerged to hold an LGBT Pride event in Georgia.

Recalling a panel discussion held in Batumi in 2019, Jaghmaidze said he asked German politician Michael Roth whether Georgia would face demands from the European Union to allow LGBT Pride events.

According to Jaghmaidze, he told Roth that public opinion in Georgia had become deeply polarised over the issue, arguing that the public display of intimate aspects of personal life is considered foreign to Georgian culture regardless of sexual orientation. He also said that, in his view, there was no aggression toward LGBT community in Georgia unless they publicly demonstrated their lifestyle, adding that the issue could be exploited by Russian soft power to fuel domestic tensions.

“There was a conference in Batumi that was dedicated precisely to Georgia’s path toward Euro-Atlantic bodies. There, I had the opportunity to ask Michael Roth, who was sitting on the panel: ‘We are witnessing the polarisation of our population around one very painful issue. The fact is that demonstrating intimate details of one’s life, whatever they may be, is alien to Georgian culture. We say that there is no aggression against the LGBT community in Georgia as long as they do not begin to demonstrate their lifestyle. Considering that this topic creates very fertile ground for Russia’s soft power, we are very concerned about this, and we are asking the question: how much importance is attached to this, and will there be a categorical demand placed on Georgia for such events, pride parades, etc., to be held on its streets?’” Jaghmaidze noted.

According to the Archpriest, in response to the question, Michael Roth replied with “glassy eyes”.

“Michael Roth answered this question as follows: ‘It is of the utmost importance to strengthen societies that constantly demonstrate tolerance and respect for minorities, especially the LGBT community. There is no justification for representatives of churches to publicly blame ethnic, religious, or sexual minorities. This is completely unacceptable’”, he continued.

“He told us again, with those same glassy eyes, that ‘these are our fundamental values’”, recalls the head of the Patriarchate’s Public Relations Service.

Jaghmaidze also spoke about a meeting held in Brussels that same year.

“After the panel, we were in Brussels in the autumn of 2019. It was a visit by an interfaith group. We met with representatives of the European People’s Party, and we were in the European Parliament. We had plenty of time to talk with Andrius Kubilius and Rasa Juknevičienė, and we explained the same thing to them: the Georgian people are very eager not to end up under pressure again, to enjoy freedom, and to be in the European Union, they are doing everything for this. [We told them]: just know that if you do not remove and soften the LGBT agenda, which is being pushed under the guise of human rights, you will foster anti-European sentiments. We are the Church, and the public’s sentiments gather with us. It was a very friendly piece of advice that if you are interested in what the solution is, the solution is that you should not force this agenda on Georgia. We talked for three days, and when saying goodbye, the response was that years ago we were also homophobic, and you too will get used to this LGBT agenda. Those are the words of Rasa Juknevičienė”, Jaghmaidze concluded.