Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has criticized local media outlets for what he calls a deliberate attempt to distract the public from a serious issue by turning it into mockery. In a social media post, Papuashvili wrote that for several days now, “propaganda media” have been sensationalizing the topic, questioning whether Brussels is demanding the legalization of same-sex marriage or sending selected boys and girls abroad each year.
“The real purpose of this supposed ‘investigation’ is to provide their propaganda-fed audience with a daily dose of emotional shock,” he stated, accusing the media of using “a well-known propaganda trick” — turning serious issues into ridicule to divert attention from the core matter.
Papuashvili claimed that the heart of the issue is Brussels’ alleged demand to repeal a law widely supported by Georgian society. He emphasized that the law — which includes bans on same-sex marriage, gender change in legal documents, and LGBT-related content in schools — was endorsed by the Georgian people through parliamentary elections treated as a de facto referendum, and backed by the Georgian Orthodox Church as well as other traditional religious institutions.
“This law has nothing to do with visa-free travel,” Papuashvili stressed, implying that EU-related demands are politically motivated rather than rooted in legal necessity.
He also criticized media outlets for refusing to directly seek clarification from the EU Ambassador to Georgia, suggesting that basic questions could easily resolve the matter. “Should the ban on same-sex marriage and alternative legal unions be repealed? Should the ban on legal gender change be repealed? Should the ban on indicating a gender different from biological gender in official documents be repealed? Should the ban on LGBT propaganda in kindergartens and schools be repealed?” Papuashvili asked rhetorically, adding that he is confident the EU Ambassador would, as in the past, be willing to answer clearly.
The statement underscores rising tensions between Georgia’s ruling party and pro-European forces over the country’s legislative direction and social values.
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