“Instead of providing legal opinions, the Venice Commission gives political opinion to the Georgian government recommending it for legal recognition of same-sex couples,” said Guram Matcharashvili, Executive Secretary of the People’s Power party.

Guram Matcharashvili wants the opposition to declare whether it agrees with the Opinion.

“They put the Venice Commission in a situation where it recommends Georgia for legal recognition of same-sex couples. Let the opposition come out with the LGBT flag and openly say that it agrees with the Venice Commission and same-sex marriage. They will not avoid that. The Georgian Constitution states that a marriage is a union of a man and a woman. The Commission says that a man and a man could be a family. Now, let the opposition say if they agree with this conclusion of the Venice Commission or not. If they keep silent, it would be a sign of consent, and the LGBT flag will fly even higher in the opposition ranks,” he said.

The Venice Commission published its Opinion on the draft constitutional law on Protecting Family Values and Minors adopted at its 139th Plenary Session on June 21-22.

The Venice Commission recommends the Georgian government modify the draft constitutional law in a way that allows for the legal recognition of same-sex couples.