Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili criticized the notion that European Union integration is contingent upon endorsing same-sex marriage, calling it a “deeply misleading interpretation” of what the EU represents.

“Such claims create a distorted image of the European Union,” she stated, emphasizing that EU membership does not require abandoning traditional or conservative values.

Botchorishvili further remarked that “European leaders often misrepresent values,” particularly when discussing family issues. “We’ve seen, including in Georgia’s case, how European values are sometimes wrongly portrayed, leading to confusion and unjustified attacks on conservative principles,” she noted.

According to the minister, Europe should be viewed as a diverse space that includes both progressive and conservative perspectives. “The idea that EU integration hinges solely on acceptance of same-sex marriage is false and misrepresents the inclusive nature of the European Union,” she concluded.