The Draft Constitutional Laws were discussed in Zugdidi today.

The Steering Commission on Universal-Public Consideration of the Draft Constitutional Laws, chaired by the Speaker, Shalva Papuashvili, introduced the Draft Constitutional Changes and the Draft Constitutional Law on Protection of Family Values and Minors.

According to the Speaker, the meetings with the population aim at the hearing of their position on whether they approve the Changes.

“The people constitute the source of authority in all democratic states. The people, through the elections, delegate the mandate to their representatives with a term of four years, thus allowing them to make decisions on their behalf of the population. Naturally, this is the process of feedback with the citizens. At the same time, our Constitution and the legislation provide that the issues linger when the mandate of the Parliament is not sufficient for the solutions but it requires direct communication with the people. These are the issues that are fundamental for our society and all fundamental issues are regulated under the Constitution, which reflects our values – the roots we stand on, our ideals, our aspirations and hence, these issues constitute the basic structure and concept of our state administration. Correspondingly, the issues concerning these values and the specification thereof under the legislation require initial consultations with our society”, - the Speaker stated.

As the First Deputy Chair of the Legal Issues Committee, David Matikashvili elucidated, our culture, ethics and moral cannot tolerate the pseudo-values that contradict with family values. According to him, the rights of minorities are safeguarded under the law, however, the rights of the majority of the population shall as well be protected.

The Commission members, Greta Tsitsava, Giorgi Khakhubia, Merab Kvaraia, Sozar Subari, Pridon Injia and Shalva Kereselidze also overviewed the essence of the Draft Laws. Pursuant to the Draft Constitutional Law, “protection of family values and minors is safeguarded under the Constitutional Law, which is an integral part of the Constitution of Georgia”.

In view of the enhancement of the protection mechanisms of the best interest of minors and the family values based on the union of a man and a woman, the Draft Constitutional Law stipulates the issues related to the marriage, adoption and foster care of a minor, gender affirmation surgery, indication of gender in the official documents, application of the gender-based concepts, assemblies and dissemination of information.

The universal consideration will proceed in Mestia on April 27.