Georgian Prime Minister: attempts to replace Christianity with “false ideologies” in Georgia doomed to fail

Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said that Georgia’s deep-rooted Christian traditions and 1,700-year history make any effort to impose what he described as “false ideologies” in place of Christianity destined to fail.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Kobakhidze emphasised that Georgia is a country distinguished by its Christian culture and heritage, and stressed the importance of reinforcing faith and religious values within society.

He further added that recent developments in the country demonstrate that campaigns aimed at spreading hatred and undermining the Church have not succeeded, claiming that such efforts included targeted attacks against the Church, clergy, and the Patriarch, but ultimately failed to achieve their goals.

“In addition to hatred, they tried to impose a false ideology on our public, and part of this was a direct fight against the Church, including campaigns that were conducted against the Church, against the Patriarch personally, against the clergy. These campaigns were defeated during these days, and everything that we saw these days was an expression of this. These days have been a clear sign not only for us but for everyone observing developments in our country. They show that hatred cannot defeat love, and no false ideology can overcome Christianity in Georgia”, the PM said.

Kobakhidze further argued that these campaigns were deliberate and part of a broader global trend that seeks to challenge authority, including religious institutions. He noted that the Georgian Church and the Patriarch have long held significant public trust, making them key targets.

“Any attempt to introduce false ideologies in Georgia instead of Christianity is doomed to failure. I will recall these campaigns once again. They were deliberate and had a specific objective; generally, they target authorities. It is characteristic of this ideology worldwide that no authority should exist. You know that over the years, and to this day, the Patriarch and the Mother Church have enjoyed exceptional authority, which is exactly why the Church and the clergy were among the primary targets of these campaigns. Ultimately, however, we have all seen that the success of such campaigns is absolutely impossible in our country. But this does not mean we should not remain cautious and vigilant. Everything must be done to ensure our society grows even stronger in faith, that Christian values are fortified in our country, and that the Church is further empowered. In the end, all of this means the strengthening and consolidation of our statehood”, he concluded.