Tbilisi. Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II
considers that rally to support LGBT, planned for May 17 in the center of
Tbilisi, is aimed at speculation with sexual minorities' problem and calls on the City Hall and the
authorities to cancel a permission for it.
Organizers of the rally, initiated by NGO
Identity, intend to draw the society's attention to the problem of homophobia
and protection of LGBT's rights.
"The rally to protect sexual
minorities and a meeting of their supporters are planned to be held in
Rustaveli Avenue. Their aim is not to resolve these people's problems, but to
speculate with this theme, because it is a fact that notwithstanding of the traditional
thinking in our country, they can live their private life without any
limitations", Patriarch says in his statement.
According to the head of the Georgian
Orthodox church, "there are general universal moral values that are common
for all times and areas".
"All religions and scientific
branches (medicine, psychology) consider homosexuality as anomaly and a
disease. The Church considers that these people are in a heavy sin, they need
aid and hearty sympathy", Ilia II notes.
"All Tbilisi residents and the
authorities should take into consideration the aforesaid and cancel a
permission for holding the rally on May 17.
"Especially as today the country
mourns over death of three Georgian military servicemen in Afghanistan. It should be noted that international
conventions also stipulate a right to restriction of expression of the opinion
in order to avoid public unrests and crimes", the statement reads.