Georgia, Tbilisi, May 5 / Trend N.Kirtzkhalia /
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II calls on the Georgian authorities to ban abortion in the country through legislation. As Ilia II stated in his Easter epistle, it is necessary to take such a decision given the difficult demographic situation in the country.
"It needs to be done in the short term, although of course there must be some exceptional cases. The media must prepare the population for a positive perception of the initiative, which will allow for positive attitude in the country to large families and negative attitudes towards abortion," the patriarch said.
He believes abortion is an act of murder of a defenseless child, where an accomplice of the murder is not only the mother, but the doctor as well.
"Human embryos are being mercilessly killed, and neither the state nor the society prevents it. It is time to put an end to it," Ilia II said.
According to Ilia II, 36,000 abortions are performed in Georgia annually, although this is just the official figures, and in fact there are many more abortions performed. He also noted an average of 14,000 babies are born stillborn in Georgia every year.