A public discussion on the constitutional amendments to the “Family Values and Protection of Minors” is taking place in Kutaisi.

The head of the Public Review Commission, Shalva Papuashvili, addressed the event’s participants to explain the necessity of the changes.

He emphasized the significance of being in Kutaisi, a city steeped in history, values, and traditions. Papuashvili underscored the alignment of the event’s theme with the city’s historical importance, which includes the initiation of amendments to Article 30 of the Constitution and the creation of a separate constitutional law.

“The purpose for these changes comes from the global trends we are witnessing, which could potentially influence us in the future. Therefore, we must establish and affirm our family values, the foundation upon which we wish our society to thrive,” the Speaker said.

He noted that the Public Review Commission has one month to discuss these initiatives with the public, gather opinions, summarize them, and present the findings to the Parliament for consideration. The commission will hold meetings across Western Georgia, including in Ambrolauri, Ozurgeti, Batumi, Zugdidi, and Mestia, and will continue across the country in the following weeks.

“When this topic was first raised, you likely heard statements questioning its relevance and whether it was an urgent issue needing immediate regulation. Let me reiterate that, like some of our colleagues, I was a member of the 2017 Constitutional Commission, led by Irakli Kobakhidze, which developed the most recent amendments to the Constitution.
During that time, there was a discussion about defining marriage in Article 30 of the Constitution as a union between a man and a woman. Some argued that it was already addressed in the Civil Code, so why include it in the Constitution? However, the decision to enshrine it in the Constitution provided a broader level of protection and stability,” he declared.

The proposed constitutional amendments aim to protect family values and minors by ensuring provisions related to marriage, adoption and foster care, medical interventions for sex changes, gender indications in official documents, use of gender-defined concepts, and the gathering and dissemination of information.