The article published in Georgian media on the situation emerged around the Holy Mother of God Shamkhoretsots Armenian church of Tbilisi has sparked heated discussions in social networks.
Various citizens have rebuked the competent city authorities, especially the Tbilisi municipality, for allowing to build a three-storey building near the church, Alik Media reports.
Georgian periodical Liberali.ge has already published the second large article on this topic, expressing concern over the fact that the project of the high residential building near the Armenian church has been approved by the Georgian Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection.
“According to points 1 and 2 of Article 41 of the [Georgian] Law on Cultural Heritage, the issue on the construction permit of the residential house at Isan 28, Tbilisi, was transferred to the Georgian Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection, which gave a positive response to it,” the Tbilisi municipality informed in response to the inquiry of the periodical.
The topic has raised a dust in social networks, where hundreds of citizens shared the article, admonishing the Georgian Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection and Tbilisi Municipality.
"This is the justice and tolerance of Georgia," the users write, qualifying the occurrence as impudence.
"Everything is destroyed according to the decisions of impudent people," "I am afraid to stay out longer in the street: a building may be built on me as well" and various similar posts have flooded the social networks these days.
Armenian Shamkhoretsots or Karmir Avetaran Holy Mother of God church, which is the tallest Armenian church located in once densely Armenian-populated Avlabari neighborhood, is considered one of the six disputed churches. The Georgian Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection has repeatedly announced that the work aimed at the restoration of historical monuments has been launched, giving the priority to those, which are in the worst state.
Currently, only the eastern wall of Shamkhoretsots church is steady, which, according to the specialists, will most probably collapse during the construction underway at a distance of 5-6 meters from the church.
