Georgian Orthodox Church Rejects Georgian Dream's Proposal to Declare Orthodoxy as State Religion

By Malkhaz Matsaberidze

Monday, September 16, 2024

The Georgian Orthodox Church declined the offer from Georgian Dream to constitutionally declare Orthodoxy as the state religion. According to the plan of Georgian Dream, this was intended as a significant pre-election move. However, it turned out that this was not part of the Patriarchate's agenda.

On August 20, Georgian Dream's political council issued a statement listing reasons why, after 12 years in power, they still wanted to win a constitutional majority. Three of these reasons were named immediately, and one was said to be under consultation, with further information to be provided at the end of August.

On August 21, after a months-long hiatus, Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili reappeared and discussed the fourth constitutional amendment, which, according to him, could be of great importance for "protecting Georgia's identity and national values." Ivanishvili did not specify the details, stating that consultations were still ongoing.

A few days later, the mystery was revealed. On August 27, Formula TV reported that the fourth issue Georgian Dream was planning to introduce into the constitution was the declaration of Orthodoxy as the state religion. Meetings regarding this matter took place in the Patriarchate on August 26 and 29. It was also reported that Bidzina Ivanishvili met secretly with the Patriarch.

Although Orthodoxy does not hold the status of a state religion, there has been a concordat - a constitutional agreement between the Church and the state since 2002 - that emphasizes the special role of the Orthodox Church. Apparently, the Patriarchate is satisfied with this status and opposes declaring Orthodoxy as the state religion. The main reason is that, with such a status, the Church could end up under state control.

The Patriarchate's official response was polite, acknowledging the state's proposal as an "act of courtesy" aimed at strengthening the Church's status through a constitutional provision. Most clergy agree with this idea, but they do not believe it is necessary to rush the issue, especially during the pre-election period.

The Patriarchate and Georgian Dream agreed that no hasty decision would be made on this matter, as it concerns "a constitutional amendment." Any decision will adhere to three main principles: a) no provision will be added without the Church's input; b) it will not take the form of declaring Orthodoxy the state religion; and c) the constitutional amendment will strengthen and enhance the role of the Church.

On August 31, despite the Patriarchate's opposition, Bidzina Ivanishvili, speaking during Georgian Dream's election campaign, stated that consultations with the Church had been successfully completed, though he did not mention declaring Orthodoxy as the state religion. Instead, he said that if they win a constitutional majority in the elections, they will reflect the role of the Georgian Orthodox Church "more precisely" in the constitution. Ivanishvili feels that Article 8 of the constitution is insufficient, and he believes it should be amended to state that "Orthodoxy is the cornerstone of Georgia's identity" and plays a special role "in both the history and the modern life of our country." However, the Patriarchate is still consulting on which term should be used - "cornerstone," "foundation," or "defining."

Declaring Orthodoxy the state religion was intended to be a key part of Georgian Dream's election campaign, something the Church was well aware of. "There's no doubt, it's a pre-election offer, whoever tries to hide or dress it up," said Bishop Nikolaoz of Akhalkalaki, Kumurdo, and Kari. This comment upset members of Georgian Dream.

The plan faced strong criticism from the opposition. Tina Bokuchava, chairperson of the United National Movement, claimed that Ivanishvili was using religion and the Church for purely propagandistic election purposes. Additionally, she said that declaring Orthodoxy the state religion was a way for the government to gain control over an institution it doesn't already control. Mikheil Saakashvili described the plan as "another trick by the oligarch," saying that Ivanishvili was trying to cover up "Georgian Dream's" declining popularity in the elections. Salome Samadashvili of "For a Strong Georgia" noted that the "Russian oligarch," fearful of losing the elections, was "clinging to the Church." Giorgi Gakharia, leader of the "For Georgia" party, believes the government is trying to subordinate the Church in order to gain votes from Orthodox followers, which he said is part of Georgian Dream's pre-election strategy.

Opposition representatives also point out that Georgian Dream is the only government that has harmed the Church. "Dream's" government secretly listened to and spied on representatives of the Orthodox Church, then released the SSG's "files" to discredit the Church. Additionally, they claim that Georgian Dream has brought Christian art "to the brink of destruction and disappearance," citing Gelati, where the frescoes are on the verge of ruin. Now they are trying to don the mantle of the Church's strengthener. "The Church belongs to all of us, and it is everyone's duty to take care of its strengthening," stated Fikria Chikhradze.

Along with the criticism of Georgian Dream's plan, the leader of For a Strong Georgia, Mamuka Khazaradze, states that there is no need to wait for the supposed "Dream" constitutional majority after the elections. He suggests that Dream should present the offers they have regarding the Church and hold a vote on the constitutional amendment before the elections, to ensure that the Church is protected from "Dream's" pre-election propaganda. This idea was endorsed by opposition MP Kakha Okriashvili, who urged Georgian Dream to introduce the constitutional amendments before the parliamentary elections.

It is evident that Georgian Dream's election strategy regarding Orthodoxy did not succeed, but they do not acknowledge this failure and continue to talk about "strengthening the role of Orthodoxy."