PM Irakli Garibashvili reiterated that he will “always” be in favor of introducing a constitutional clause that would define marriage as union of a man and a woman.

He first voiced the proposal last year, when the government tabled anti-discrimination bill, which was approved by the Parliament in May, 2014.

Article 36 of the Georgian constitution currently reads: “Marriage shall be based upon equality of rights and free will of spouses.”

But same-sex marriage is already banned by Georgia’s civil code, which defines marriage as “voluntary union of a man and a woman.
 
Asked in an interview with the Georgian newspaper Asaval-Dasavali if he still supports constitutional ban of same-sex marriage, the PM responded: “I have not changed my opinion; I still maintain the same opinion and always will.”

“What our state is based on? – On our religious belief, which has brought us to these days, and on institution of family, which modern strong Georgia should be based on. Family is called a second temple and I believe, that the family is a source of all good,” he said in the newspaper interview published on June 29.

“Therefore, as Prime Minister and as a citizen of Georgia, I will do everything in order to make a clause in the constitution that will define marriage as union of a man and a woman. Today every country in the world decides this issue on its own. We think, that’s how this issue should be addressed in Georgia,” Garibashvili said.