CPAC: PM Kobakhidze Defends Christianity, Identity from “So-Called Liberals”
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze lashed out at “so-called liberals” and accused them of threatening Christianity, national identity, and state sovereignty during his address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Budapest on April 25.
CPAC, a gathering of ultra-conservative politicians from around the world, was hosted for the third time by Hungary and its populist leader Viktor Orban. Prime Minister Kobakhidze is the second Georgian leader to address the conference, following his predecessor Irakli Garibashvili’s conservative speech last May. The speech comes amid an increasingly right-wing turn by the ruling Georgian Dream party, its growing isolation from the Western democratic political circles, and strengthening ties with the Hungarian leader.
“The recent and expected global processes show that the efforts to protect our centuries-old traditions and national identity need to be further strengthened,” Kobakhidze said. “Today, so-called liberals put the identity of countries and nations all around the world at risk.”
Prime Minister Kobakhidze’s speech placed a strong emphasis on the protection of traditional values and national identity while warning of the threats posed by LGBT “propaganda” and “uncontrolled migration.”
Threats to National Identity, Christianity
Kobakhidze started his speech by recounting Georgians’ centuries-long struggle to secure its “fatherland, language, faith,” referring to the formula articulated by the 19-20th century revered Georgian writer and liberal public figure Ilia Chavchavadze.
“These are the main three pillars that have shaped Georgian national identity since the 4th century when Georgia proclaimed Christianity as the state religion,” PM Kobakhidze said.
The Prime Minister then accused Georgian “so-called liberals” of trying to change the “national identity concept,” saying “they replaced the words – fatherland, language, faith – with the words – fatherland, language, unity.”
PM Kobakhidze was referring to the oath sworn by youth groups on April 19 as part of protests against the reintroduction of the foreign agent law. The protesters indeed replaced the word, saying they wanted to make the oath more inclusive for a country that is home to various religious groups. Several Georgian intellectuals have defended the change, arguing that it more accurately reflects Chavchavadze’s ideas, while religion itself was not currently threatened by Georgia’s key security threat – Orthodox Christian Russia. Georgian Dream, however, has made that change one of the main vectors of attack against the current protests and flooded the streets all over the country and the social media with posters reading “Fatherland, Language, Faith” and featuring a picture of the Holy Trinity Cathedral .
According to Kobakhidze, it’s Europe and the U.S. that are most at risk from “so-called liberals”, as these are the countries where “the roots of the so-called liberal ideology are the most widespread.”
The Georgian Prime Minister also listed “uncontrolled migration” among the threats to the national identity of European countries. “If the processes continue at the current pace, very soon, the local population will become a minority in many European countries,” he warned.
PM Kobakhidze claimed that the “so-called” liberals are fighting Christianity “with particular enthusiasm.” According to the Georgian leader, the only difference between the Bolsheviks and the “so-called liberals” is that the former used a sledgehammer as their main weapon against religion, “while the liberals fight against Christianity with propaganda, which, under the conditions of total control of the media, is much more powerful than the sledgehammer.” The liberals’ primary target in Georgia is the Georgian Orthodox Church, he added.
The Prime Minister further accused the “so-called liberals” of being against sovereignty, expressing concerns that they soon will declare state sovereignty, too, “an unacceptable value.”
“LGBT propaganda”
During his address, Kobakhidze also warned of threats of “LGBT propaganda.”
The “so-called liberals” believe that “not only the country and the nation, even an individual should not have any solid identity” and that “there should not be any moral limits in a person’s personal life,” the PM argued.
Taking the leaf from the traditional line deployed by Russian president Vladimir Putin, he said, “For the so-called liberals, it is unacceptable to use terms like woman and man or mother and father,” Kobakhidze claimed, arguing that “so-called liberals” demand that a person should not have a fixed identity and call for giving children the right to choose or change their gender.
“This propaganda has disturbing consequences in both Europe and the USA,” the PM said, claiming the increasing proportion of people in those countries who identify themselves as LGBT. “Propaganda has tripled the number of LGBT people in just seven years.”
Kobakhidze proudly presented the ruling party’s recent anti-LGBT legislative initiatives, expressing hopes that “the aforementioned legislative changes will successfully oppose the so-called liberal ideology and make a significant contribution to the protection of family values and minors.”
The PM also accused the “so-called liberals” of leading a “drug liberalization campaign” with drugs supposed to “transform a person from an intelligent individual into a subject devoid of values.”
Praising Orban
During his speech, PM Kobakhidze, like his predecessor last year, didn’t spare praise for his Hungarian counterpart Orban, whom he lauded for his “firm attitude in protecting the national interests of the country and its people.”
Kobakhidze commended Hungary’s policy of controlling the flow of migrants, which he said helped maintain a strong national identity. He also praised the country for defending Christianity and Christian values, for opposing what he described as “liberal propaganda” and its effects on children and youth, and for upholding its sovereignty.
“Hungary and its government, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in particular, are role models for everyone who values the word – homeland and patriotism,” Kobakhidze said.
Georgia [still] wants to join the EU
In his speech, Prime Minister Kobakhidze reiterated that EU accession remains the top foreign policy priority for Georgia and its people. The prime minister’s assertions come amid growing anti-Western rhetoric from the Georgian government, as well as warnings from European officials and diplomats that the reintroduced Foreign Agents Law will stand in the way of Georgia’s EU integration.
“I am confident that in the near future, Georgia will attain full membership in the European family,” Kobakhidze said. “May God grant us the strength and guidance to pursue this crucial endeavor!”
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