The Georgian Patriarchate has responded to a recent European Parliament report that referred to the Georgian Orthodox Church as part of a Russian influence network, a characterization that Church officials strongly reject.
In an exclusive interview with Imedi Week, Archpriest Andria Jagmaidze, Head of the Patriarchate’s Public Relations Service, said the report prompted the Church to break its silence and present its perspective on years of interaction with European institutions and officials.
“It is regrettable that such a statement was included in the resolution,” Fr. Andria said. “The diagnosis of this situation is that, through ineffective and unhealthy policies toward the Church, they have reached a point where anti-European sentiments are increasing in Georgia.”
Previously undisclosed meeting with Belgian Foreign Minister
During the interview, Fr. Andria disclosed details of a meeting that took place in August 2023 between representatives of the Georgian Patriarchate and then Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, information that had not previously been made public.
“We did not disclose it at the time because society was already highly polarized,” he explained.
According to Fr. Andria, Lahbib—who now serves as the European Commissioner for Equality and has been associated with the European Union’s LGBTQ+ equality strategy for 2026–2030—visited the Patriarchate during an official trip to Georgia.
He claimed that during the meeting she referred to the influence of the Georgian Orthodox Church within society and suggested that the Church should assist in promoting acceptance of same-sex marriage.
“Mrs. Hadja Lahbib came to the Patriarchate and, among other topics, asked us something unusual and unprecedented,” Fr. Andria said. “She stated that Georgian society lags behind 21st-century trends, that same-sex marriage is unacceptable to society, and she asked us to help promote it.”
Fr. Andria said he responded by raising concerns related to transgender participation in sports, citing a widely discussed international case involving a female athlete.
According to his account, the exchange led to disagreement, and he claimed the visiting official declined to continue the discussion.
“She said, ‘I am not here for a debate,’ gathered her papers, and left,” he recalled.
“A tool for Russian soft power”
Archpriest Andria Jagmaidze, Head of the Georgian Patriarchate’s Public Relations Service, recalled a discussion he had with German politician Michael Roth during a conference in Batumi dedicated to Georgia’s path toward Euro-Atlantic integration.
According to Fr. Andria, he raised concerns about growing polarization in Georgian society surrounding LGBT-related issues, arguing that public demonstrations of private lifestyles are perceived as foreign to Georgian cultural traditions.
“We are witnessing polarization within our population around a very sensitive issue,” he said, adding that the Georgian Orthodox Church believes there is no hostility toward LGBT individuals as long as such matters are not publicly promoted.
Fr. Andria also noted that the issue has become a tool for Russian soft power, making it particularly sensitive in the context of Georgia’s European aspirations. He said he asked whether events such as Pride marches and similar public activities would become a mandatory requirement for Georgia’s integration into Euro-Atlantic structures.
“Family values are branded as ‘russian influence’”
“Since this is their agenda, they do not appear to be particularly concerned with the attitude of Georgian society toward issues related to LGBTQ+ people. That is the reality. They simply do not care.
The fact that we remain committed to family values, that the Church defends these principles, that we highlight Georgia’s demographic challenges, and that we regard abortion as the taking of human life are positions that this ideology does not accept. For that reason, attempts are made to discredit them by attaching the label of ‘Russian influence.’
Instead of taking our concerns into account, they continue to promote their own agenda, which on this issue runs contrary to the views held by a large part of society. They believe that only the Church as an institution opposes their policies, whereas in reality these people are an inseparable part of the Church itself,” he said.
Relations with European Representatives
Fr. Andria also stated that he does not recall further visits by European representatives to the Patriarchate following the 2023 meeting.
“After that, I do not remember European representatives coming to the Patriarchate,” he said. “Now that Georgia has a new Catholicos-Patriarch, relations with embassies have resumed, and the relationships are quite normal.”
The comments come amid ongoing debate in Georgia regarding the country’s relationship with the European Union, the role of the Orthodox Church in public life, and differing views on social and cultural issues. The Georgian Patriarchate maintains that it remains committed to dialogue while preserving its teachings and values.
