Georgian PM join thousands to mark controversial family Purity Day
euronews.comTens of thousands of people, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, marched through Tbilisi on Friday to celebrate the Day of Family Purity, a holiday established by the Georgian Orthodox Church in 2013 to promote traditional family values.
The march, coinciding with the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, highlighted the country's deep divisions over LGBTQ+ rights.Participants in the procession carried icons and wore traditional costumes as they made their way to the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Prime Minister Kobakhidze and parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili praised the event for upholding Georgia's identity, language, and faith. "Our ancestors defended it in battles throughout the years and centuries, and it is our obligation to defend it as well," said march participant Rusudan Tabatadze.The event comes amid heightened tensions over LGBTQ+ issues in Georgia.
In March, the ruling Georgian Dream Party introduced a bill restricting LGBTQ+ rights, including prohibitions on sex changes, same-sex couple adoptions, and public gatherings deemed to promote same-sex relationships.
