Parliament of Georgia

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Sozar Subari: In merely eight years, we have found ourselves compelled to specify that the union between a man and a woman is distinct from marriage, denoted instead as "a biological woman and a biological man"

Media and Society 27 Apr 2024
Sozar Subari: In merely eight years, we have found ourselves compelled to specify that the union between a man and a woman is distinct from marriage, denoted instead as "a biological woman and a biological man"

"The article of the 1995 constitution stated that marriage is founded on legal equality and the free will of the spouses. This implied that marriage could not be coerced and that men and women were considered equal. There was no further need to specify, as it was understood that marriage involved a union between a man and a woman. However, in 2017, we were compelled to explicitly state that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman, to prevent the legalization of other types of relationships”, - Sozar Subari, the Chairman of the political group "People's Power" stated at the public discussion regarding the constitutional drafts "On Amendments to the Constitution of Georgia" and "On Family Values and Protection of Minors" in Mestia.

According to Sozar Subari, there were many opponents of this recording and they said that the recording is homophobic and violates human rights.

"The very same individuals who advocated for this change previously, including oppositionists and NGOs, are now questioning why additional measures are being proposed. What constitutes the additional measure? A single point has been appended to the constitution, stipulating the enactment of a specific law. This law, consisting of eight articles, declares that it can solely regulate relationships akin to marriage, involving the union of one biological man and one biological woman aged at least 18. In merely eight years, we have found ourselves compelled to specify that the union between a man and a woman is distinct from marriage, denoted instead as "a biological woman and a biological man", - Sozar Subari noted.

According to him, today the parliamentary majority does not have enough votes to make changes in the constitution.

"The "European Socialists" support these amendments alongside us, yet even with their votes, we still lack sufficient support. Despite amending over 40 laws to align with these changes, it is evident that the objectives we aim to achieve through this constitutional amendment will be safeguarded by Georgia's legislation. Nevertheless, we are adamant about fortifying it through constitutional amendments, recognizing that the constitution is the paramount law that delineates the framework of the country", - Sozar Subari stated.