Xenophobia

Politicians

Kavkasia, Barieri, May 25
Kakha Kukava, Free Georgia: “When the Chinese entered our forests, only our party, Free Georgia expressed protest against it and all other parties, including Georgian Dream and National Movement, welcomed it. When our lands were sold to the Arabs, only our party expressed protest and all others called us homophobes. But when we gave forests to our own church, it triggered strong outcry. Our farmers were thrown out from forests and the Chinese found their place there… Now, does it matter whether a Chinese paid money for it or not?!”

Media

Georgia and World, May 27
Beso Barbakadze, journalist: “I address all TV channels: arrive in Samtskhe-Javakheti, visit the center of Akhalkalaki and you will see that various trade facilities have only Armenian inscriptions and you will fail to see even a single Georgian inscription. It should be noted that it is prohibited by law and if anyone dares to make only an English-language inscription in the capital, they will be fined immediately. Is Akhalkalaki another state? Or do not we dare to establish order there? The same can be said about Marneuli and Bolnisi. During the state of emergency, protest rallies were held in both municipalities and hundreds of people violated the law. Now, name even a single person who was punished. You cannot do it and do you know why? You did not punish anyone, you could not dare it. They feel it very well and that’s why they are acting so impudently.”

Clerics

Marshalpress, May 28, Interpressnews, May 28
Archbishop Iakob of Bodbe: “When our forests were transferred to the Chinese for a term of 49 years, did you feel any protest? Did Georgia profit by it? This money was put in the pockets of some officials, was not it? Now, you can make relevant persons answerable. Did the Church sell anything to anyone? If it is possible to sell [forests] to certain foreigners – as they sold them to the successors of Shah Abbas – why cannot the Church own them, especially as we are ready to return them to the State and people whenever it becomes necessary. How can it create any problems to you?”

Society

Marshalpress, May 2
Mancho Giorgobiani, civic activist, journalist: “It is largely due to the fact that nobody has been punished for damaging police cars - I mean national minorities, when the mob turns wild! Further, we should take care of the Georgian language! A Georgian language exam should be passed before issuing a Georgian passport! Do I need anyone elected by herds and bribed lawmakers, especially as the minorities account for 15-20% of the country!!!” Social media

Turkophobia

Politicians

Kviris Palitra, May 25-31
Davit Tedoradze, member of the Supreme Council of Adjara, Georgian Dream: “This problem is a major challenge in Adjara. One group of the population demands construction of another mosque in Batumi. They have been fighting to achieve this for years, but there already are six mosques in Batumi. We conducted a survey in Batumi about 4-5 years ago, asking respondents whether they were in favor of construction of a new mosque in the city. 67,000 Batumi residents were surveyed and 93% noted that it was not necessary; 3% of respondents answered positively and 3% refrained from answering. It is not only about religion, but it also concerns expansion of the spheres of influence. Today, Turkey invests money not only in Adjara but throughout Georgia. I have walked on Agmashenebeli Avenue in Tbilisi and seen mainly Turkish facilities. There are a lot of Turkish trade facilities, hotels and houses in Batumi as well.”

Media

Asaval-Dasavali, May 25-31
Tamaz Bakuradze, journalist: “There is a document based on which [Georgia’s ex-President Mikheil] Saakashvili handed over Adjara to Turkey! Based on this document, Adjarian economy moves to Turkish subordination. Remember my words: a pseudo-pro-Georgian political force has been created with Turkish money and now this force will gain majority in Adjara’s legislature and Adjara will officially become one of the regions of Turkey! Yes, this threat is felt everywhere in Adjara, because Turkey has burst not only into our economy, but also schools and religion and Saakashvili and Varshalomidze [former head of Adjarian government] have laid the foundation for it.”

Discrimination on the grounds of religion

Media

Asaval-Dasavali, May 25-31
Giorgi Gigauri, journalist: “The Evangelical-Baptist Church prayed for LGBT community on May 17 and covered the altar with an LGBT flag! Their “bishop” Rusudan Gotsiridze, with an obsequious smile typical for Roman Gotsiridze [UNM lawmaker], was running around with a rainbow scarf during the ceremony… Just therefore, the Georgian Orthodox Church is a Mother Church and the Evangelical-Baptist Church is a heretic sect! No to Sodomy!”

Clerics

Basil Mkalavishvilik, cleric: “All countries should have strengthened prayers immediately after this terrible epidemic spread to every continent. Unfortunately, what happened next was quite contrary: the heads of the Roman Catholic Church closed their churches, banned prayers, though their prayers have no mercy! They turned away from the road of Orthodoxy in the 11th century and entered into the path of heresy.”

Homophobia

Politicians

Obieqtivi, Gamis Studia, May 24
Vazha Otarashvili, Alliance of Patriots: “This [Giga] Bokeria will rush out, a certain NGO will rush out, this Public Defender [Nino Lomjaria] will rush out – when they are defending the interests of only LGBT people, these pederasts make up only 0.3%, while Orthodox people account for over 85%. Who will defend our interests?”

Georgia and World, May 13
Levan Chachua, Georgian Idea: “The statement spread by the Foreign Ministry mentions human rights several times. What rights they are talking about when the chair of the Parliament’s human rights committee claims that the State should provide financial support to transgender people, standing somewhere under the bridge, because they lost their clients due to the emergency situation. Can you imagine what an absurd situation we have in the country? It appears that we should pay money to those depraved people, who lost their clients and have no incomes. And it happens when, according to official data, children are starving to death in Georgia and the majority of the Georgian population failed to join the assistance program developed by the government incompetently.”

Media

Asaval-Dasavali, May 25-31
Giorgi Gigauri, journalist: “On May 17, when Georgia was marking Family Purity Day, the Sorosist-Liberast sect was expressing solidarity to LGBT people. Nikuta Gvaramia’s prima hen, Giorgi Gabunia baked a new pederast monologue during the Post Factum program after people dressed in pink leggings failed to march on Rustaveli Avenue.”

Civil society organizations

Clerics

Interpressnews, May 17
Iakob Iakobishvili, archbishop: “Not only the same sex relations, but also unofficial man-to-woman relations are considered a sin. How can we distinguish any types of sins from each other, because they are followers of this tradition and have this position. It is unacceptable for me; even if I were not a cleric, it would be unacceptable for me. If you choose this style of life, live as you like, but you should not come out and impose it on me. Why are you propagandizing?”

Georgia and World, May 13
Basil Mkalavishvili, cleric: “On the eve of glorious Easter holiday, Saturday, God proves to us that he has not abandoned us with miraculous descent of the Fire emitted within his tomb. This miracle proves that Orthodoxy is the only true religion; however, many countries do not believe in it and are visiting the church only formally to take the fire. The fact is that God’s punishment will be severe for those countries, where same-sex marriage is respected, gay prides and KaZantip festivals are held.”

Society

Alia, May 18-24
Davit Mardaleishvili, lawyer: “Even today, nobody bullies them – I have not even heard during my 47 years that anybody has been beaten or insulted only because he/she is an LGBT person… according to this logic, drug users also are people and most of them cannot live without drugs, like homosexuals cannot live without a sex with a man. Now, what should we do?! Should we introduce a day of drug addiction and light up the Tbilisi TV Tower, which is better than the Eiffel Tower, in a form of a syringe?”

Anti-Western sentiments

Politicians

Obieqtivi, Gamis Studia, May 25
Vazha Otarashvili, Alliance of Patriots: “We are close to Europe, first of all, with our Christian culture, our Christian consciousness. I do not know in which direction Europe is moving today, especially as these liberal waves have shaken human and universally recognized values.”

Georgia and World, May 13
Levan Chachua, Georgian Idea: “Western neoliberalism, as the major ideology of globalism, is the theory of changing the humankind fundamentally and creating a new human being, a new type of so called civil society that involves several experiments. It implies such transformations in a form of reforms that will turn human morals upside down and remove all spiritual or moral limits.”

Civil society organizations

Georgia and World, May 27
Dimitri Lortkipanidze, the Primakov Georgian-Russian Public Center: “We should know that this is not aid but rather loans issued in exchange for the most difficult and gravest ideological and political obligations. Simply speaking, it is a demonstration of anti-state, harmful political practice due to which Georgia’s foreign debt is already exceeding USD 22 billion. Nobody talks about it today and it is a purposeful policy, but we all see the Georgian government’s shameful, slavish attitude towards the West.”

Alia, May 25 – June 1
Zviad Tomaradze, Nation and State: “For years, the Church has been targeted by globalists and liberal forces and why does it happen? Because the Church is the last bastion they failed to capture, which obstructs their ideology, be it homosexuality, drug issue, multiculturalism, family hierarchy, etc.”

Clerics

Netgazeti, May 25
Anton Bulukhia, archbishop: “The forces hostile towards our mother church are financed and supported by Europe and the United States. These forces are actively involved in various events supporting LGBT people and so on. Should not we make a conclusion that those who finance them also encourage them to use swear words against the church? These forces are doing their best to convince us that just these are Euro-Atlantic values…”