Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has said the government is ready to discuss tightening abortion legislation in consultation with the Georgian Orthodox Church, following a controversial sermon by Patriarch Shio III in which he described abortion as a “grave sin”.

The Patriarch warned that otherwise “other nations that love children will settle in Georgia”, News.Az reports, citing News Georgia.

“Regarding legislation, we are, of course, ready to discuss possible changes with the Church, the Patriarch and clergy,” Kobakhidze told journalists on Tuesday.

He also cited demographic figures, saying that more than 39,000 abortions were recorded in 2012, compared with fewer than 12,000 last year. He argued that legislation had not changed during that period and attributed the decline to the influence of the Church.

“This is the result of the sermons that society hears from clergy,” the prime minister said.

Kobakhidze acknowledged that birth rates in Georgia are falling, while adding that there is “no direct correlation between birth rates and abortions”. According to the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Sakstat), 37,867 children were born in 2025 — the lowest figure in 32 years.

In previous remarks, Kobakhidze has described Georgia’s demographic situation as “very difficult”, linking it primarily to what he called the spread of “liberal ideology”, gender policy and LGBT propaganda. He has said that reversing the trend would require a change in public mindset.

The latest comments came after a sermon by Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio III, delivered on 17 May at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi on Family Sanctity Day, which was established by the Georgian Orthodox Church as a counterpoint to the International Day Against Homophobia.

The Patriarch described abortion as a “grave sin” and said such families were “doomed”. He also urged believers to have children every two to three years, claiming that after a third child it becomes easier to support a family.

“If we do not correct our demographic situation, we face a real danger that in our beautiful, paradise-like country other nations will settle — nations that love children, do not get rid of them and protect their religion,” he said.

His remarks drew a sharp response. Former Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili called the sermon a “harsh verdict” and “merciless”, arguing that it contradicted the foundations of Christianity by “leaving no hope for either God’s boundless love or salvation through faith”.

Other political commentators took a more pragmatic view, arguing that Georgia’s declining birth rate is primarily driven by the emigration of people of reproductive age. Many leave the country in search of higher incomes, better employment prospects and education opportunities. As a result, the proportion of elderly citizens is rising, while deaths have exceeded births for several years.

News.Az