YEREVAN. – Disagreements between Georgian authorities and Georgian Orthodox Church may intensify Georgia’s internal political situation as the church is the second most significant institution after the authorities, deputy director of analytical center Kavkaz Sergey Minasyan told at a press conference on Tuesday regarding the issue of granting legal status to five religious unities by Georgian parliament.

According to expert, protests are especially directed towards Armenian Apostolic Church, as has large community in Georgia. However, disagreements between Georgian authorities and church were long before the decision was accepted. Legislative amendments made the conflict more obvious.

Moreover, Georgian parliament’s decision was political, and came from Georgia’s obligations undertaken to satisfy international institutions.

Georgian parliament made quick amendments in Civil Code on July 5 and granted legal status to Armenian Apostolic church and four other churches. Georgian Patriarch Ilya Second was against the decision.