Tbilisi. Platform ''No to Phobia!'' signatory organizations respond to a statement made by Reverend Petre, Metropolitan of Chkondidi, on September 17 in the air of a news program ''Courier'' of  ''Rustavi 2''.

''After the ecclesiastical service, while appraising political processes ongoing in the country, the clergyman stated from the ambience that in the 18th and 19th centuries French missionaries preached Catholicism deceitfully, while their contemporaries considered Catholic congregation in Georgia having perverted and distorted mindset. Reverend Petre mentioned Salome Zurabishvili, one of the presidential candidates, in this negative context.

We consider that the statement made by the clergyman about the politician goes beyond the scope of healthy criticism and acquires xenophobic and anti-Catholic connotation, which fact insults Catholic Church and its congregation because it is of a discriminatory character due to its religious and national nature.

Besides, we would also like to focus on the issue of media responsibility. Broadcasting without criticism and an editorial comment of such xenophobic statements, in which discriminatory nature of the statement is clearly noticeable, does not correspond to high professional standards and ethical journalism'', - is noted in the joint statement.

Source:mdfgeorgia.ge